A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret
by Kirei Ai Tenshi
Summary: He has done it. Takuma has finally ended his grandfather's life. As he rests, a certain blue eyed woman comes upon him covered in blood and heals his wounds he received. Will he be able to keep his dark and bloody secret from her Full Summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

Kaykai: Okay, I'm co-writing this fanfic with my new friend CresentMelody (She is awesome for letting me help her!) and this is going to be a Kagome/Takuma pairing. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I, Kaykai-sama, hereby decree that neither I nor CresentMelody own Vampire Knight or Inuyasha. We are merely borrowing the characters for the means of this plot.

Summary: He has done it. Takuma has finally ended his grandfather's life. As he rests, a certain blue eyed woman comes upon him covered in blood and heals his wounds he received. Will he be able to keep his dark and bloody secret from her or will she find out what he really is?

Newly Beta-ed by the Wonderful ShikiKira. You are awesome girl!

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret<p>

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><p>The sounds of a vicious battle that dominated the gothic scene came to an abrupt stop<p>

"You would kill your own blood?" an aged masculine voice sounded in the eerie silent atmosphere. +

The wind hallows foreboding songs. The rustle of fabric flapping back and forth as the two figures stand in perfect non motion. The blade, origin of the sound of the metals' voiced before is dripping with life-giving liquid and positioned for the killing strike.

"Blood and family are two very different things. Have fun in hell...

_Goodbye._

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><p>Hard footsteps drum on natural earthen road of Tokyo preserved nature.<p>

"Kuso, why can't they just stop being so nosey? I do not like Hojo-kun, darn it. His personality is too blank for my taste" Kagome grumble in frustration while stooping wildly like a panicked elephant. She stopped suddenly when she hears a low groan from a bush nearby. Being the curious person that she is, she quickly searched for answer. What she found first surprised her then quickly she schooled her face in an emotionless expression.

_Why do I always find tragic bishonen?_

There in front of her was a bloody, hot, tragic looking male, who was soundly asleep.

_Let's think about this later, I should really help him_

With quick steps she bravely approached the prone figure.

"Hey, wake up. You should not be sleeping here." She splayed her delicate finger and gently shook his shoulder. The person did not stir. She took another look at him and making a decision she quickly search within herself and bring forth her miko ki. Her hand hovered over his chest and sent gentle waves of healing ki through his whole body. A sharp inhale of breath from the sleeping male tells her that he is waking. Elegant eyelids fold away to reveal captivating green eyes.

"Kirei" the word was softly breathed out that could be mistaken for nature's wind. "So blue, like the whole ocean was taken by the gods and compressed it into twin sapphire gems"

Kagome was taken aback by the simple words. She heard what he said only because so was so close to him. She quickly got her mind back to the current situation.  
>"Daijobu desu ka?" She asked in a patience tone.<p>

He was silent for a while trying to take in the situation. He took in the vision of a girl before him. A beautiful face frame by black raven shine hair with subtle blue highlights an overall glowing from by the setting sun. Her bright cerulean orbs shone with concern for his well-being.

"Gomenasai for the trouble, miss...Ore wa Ichijo Takuma desu, Hajimemashite."

Kagome on impose put on a brilliant smile with a quick incline of the head. "Atashi wa Higurashi Kagome, Hajimemashite"

At that moment, the two makes a romantic picture together. The wind blows softly intertwining Kagome's long silky tresses with Takuma golden mane. It also swept his being with gentle caresses. The two figures silently studied each other with no reservation. The strong light of the setting sun shine on them like a grand theater spotlight, and the vast greens of nature surrounds them have little effect on this photographic masterpiece.

"Higurashi Kagome, ne?" the blonde haired male took hold of her hand, placing a gentle kiss upon the back of it. "A lovely name for such a lovely woman."

A pretty red hue formed in the girl's cheek. "Arigato. If I may, what happened to you? I found you laying here a bloody mess."

Takuma's bright green eyes darkened slightly. "I'm afraid that I cannot tell you that."

Kagome blinks as she catches the darkened gaze. Putting on a smile she elegantly rose from her kneeling postion and offered him a hand.

"Come, let's go to my place and get you cleaned up"

Takuma studied her for a short moment.

"You would so easily offer a complete stranger who looks like he just came from a battlefield assistance?"

She gave him another smile.

"Would you believe me i do not think that any harm will come to me for offering you help and that if i do not then i will be in harm way?"

This peaked Takuma's interest. "Really? How so?"

Tired of standing she plopped herself back down and wrap her arms around her shins while pulling her long legs toward her and rested her head on her knees.

"Well, I guess you can say that i have a really high morality and the evil guilt will eat me away for not offering assistance in this situation."

Takuma studied the girl's sapphire colored eyes, searching for any form of deceit, before he gave her a gentle smile. "I do not wish for you to be eaten away by guilt, but I am afraid that I must decline your offer. I am keeping a close friend of mine waiting."

Kagome frowned at this. "You wish to meet your friend looking as such. I insist that you come with me and clean some of the blood off."

The blonde's emerald eyes lowered to his white uniform, stained red with blood not his own. "I suppose that Kaname can wait a little longer whilst I clean up. Arigato for your compassionate hospitality. Not many would offer to help someone looking as I am." He laughed softly.

Standing, Kagome once more offered her slender hand to him, which he accepted gratefully.

"You are most welcome Takuma-san."

"Please no formalities, just Takuma is fine."

Kagome gave him a smile that seemed to make her cerulean eyes sparkle. "If you wish, then you may just call me Kagome. Come my home is not too far from here."

With a gentle tug, she led the emerald eyed man towards her home. Unknown that she has just allowed herself to be pulled into his dark secret life. What Kagome may never know is that Ichijo Takuma is one of the creatures said to be a mere myth, a fairy tale told to children to terrify them at night. Ichijo Takuma is a vampire.

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><p>Walking beside Takuma was so surreal. Everything around her is so perfect. Subconsciously she did acknowledge that she had not let go of his warm hand. She really should be worrying about the cause of his state of being but really to be honest that was the furthest thing from her mind. Taking a quick sideway glance at the handsome male beside her, Kagome decided to get to know a bit about her soon to be guest.<p>

"Ne, Takuma-kun. Are you from around here?"

Glancing at the raven haired girl beside him he decided that it would do no harm to answer her simple question, after all he would be her guest for the time being.

"I'm a student at Cross Academy"

Kagome pondered at his answer searching her mind as to where she has heard of Cross Academy.

"I vaguely remember hearing a few of my friends whining about how our school not having enough cute boys and that they should go and kidnap a few from Cross Academy."

Takuma wore an expressionless mask and looked at her in disbelief. Blinking a few times, he let out a soft chuckle catching Kagome's attention.

"Gomen, you're so unpredictable. Saying something like that, I'm not sure if I should feel crept out or sympathetic."

Confused by his choice of words Kagome voiced her thoughts. "Nande? Sympathetic desu?"

"Hn" was his only reply.

Takuma turned his head upon hearing Kagome's bell like giggles. Raising a golden eye brow he inquired, "May I ask what was amusing to you?"

"I'm sorry Takuma-kun; it's just that when you said that, you reminded me of a friend, well actually an acquaintance of mine." Kagome reassured the tall blonde. "Well here we are. This is my home."

"A shine?"

"Yes, I forgot to inform you that I am a miko. This is Higurashi shrine." Kagome pulled Takuma up the long stairwell to her quaint little home. Opening the sliding door she was greeted by her mother.

"Welcome home Kagome-chan...oh!" Nodoka noticed the tall blonde haired male next to her daughter, taking in his blood stained clothing. "Oh my! Are you alright dear?"

"Mama, this is Ichijo Takuma, I found him like this resting against a tree in the forest not too far from here. Would it be possible for him to use the bathroom to clean up?"

Nodoka immediately agreed, rushing to the laundry room, she came back with a few towels and male's kimono. "Here, Kagome-chan will show you to the bathroom. These are some of my father's old clothing, you may wear these while i wash your uniform." she handed him the items.

Takuma gave her a small smile and bowed elegantly. "Arigato, Higurashi-san"

Kagome reached over and grasped Takuma's large warm hand with her small slender one, ushering him out of the kitchen and up the stairwell. Nodoka's grey-blue eyes shined warmly at the oblivious affection her daughter was giving to the beautiful young man.

Passing through the living room, Kagome's younger brother raised his head away from the video games he was playing. "Nee-chan..." he trailed off when he spotted his sister holding hands with a strange unknown man.

"What is it Souta?"

"Uhm...never mind. I'll tell you later." Souta resumed playing the action game.

"Okay, then? Come, this way Takuma-kun." Kagome led the blonde up the stairs and to the bathroom. "Uhm...well here the bathroom. You can place your bloodied clothes on the counter and once you finish I will come up and wash them for you, ne?"

Takuma nodded. "Arigato, Kagome."

"Just yell if you require anything. Soap is located in this closet" she pointed to the door on her far right. "I'll be downstairs."

With those words said, Kagome left the small room, not seeing Takuma's vibrant green eyes glow crimson for a brief second as she passed by him.

Takuma sealed his mouth shut when Kagome's sweet scent wafted to his sensitive nose. He would not let his bloodlust harm this girl. Once he was sure that he was calm enough he called out to her. "Kagome, would it be too much trouble to ask for a glass of water."

Kagome turned a warm smile at him. "No problem."

Once she left the room, Takuma sighed; his canines lengthen as he reached inside the breast pocket of his jacket. A small black and gold was produced, clicking it open he pulled out a single white tablet.

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><p>Kagome had a serene smile on her face as she made her way downstairs. Oblivious to the questioning gaze she got from her brother and the knowing eyes of her mother, Kagome set out to execute the request from her temporary guest. With a water filled glass cup in hand she makes her way back to the location she left her guest. After a few gentle knocks on the door she waited patiently. Soon after the door slides open to reveal, Takuma, in his ripped, bloody shirt unbuttoned, giving Kagome a glimpse of the lean muscles of his broad chest.<p>

With a sharp intake of breath, Kagome froze at the sight before her. Unable to comprehend the chaotic activities of her mind and the deep rose coloring of her face, she almost failed to catch the falling of the glass she held. In a furious bust of motions and apologies, she quickly hands Takuma the item he requested and without a single word and a shy glance she depart quickly out of the room, highly embarrassed.

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><p>Kaykai: How's that! Right now, my co-writer CresentMelody is gathering more ideas for this fanfic, so please be patient with the updates.<p>

Please Review!

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CresentMelody

Japanese Dictionary.

Kerei= Pretty.

Daijobu desu ka= Are you ok

Gomenasai= I apologize. (more formal than I'm sorry.)

Ore wa Ichijo Takuma desu, Hajimemashite.= I'm Ichijo Takume, this is the first time.

Atashi wa Higurashi Kagome, Hajimemashite.= I'm Higurashi Kagome, this is the first time.

Arigato= Thank you

Nande= Huh? What?(...etc).


	2. Chapter 2

Kaykai: Well, we didn't take too long did we?

Disclaimer: Don't own.

Beta: ShikiKira

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret<p>

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><p>After exiting the room, Kagome leaned against the door, trying to calm her racing heart and will the bright red blush from her cheeks. <em>What's wrong with me? It's not the first time that I've seen a guy with his shirt off. Inuyasha receives wounds that nearly always require him to take his haori off.<em>

Sighing, she allowed her mind to wander to the handsome man she found. _Why was he all bloody? Who could possibly want to harm such a kind and polite man?_

"...chan? Nee-chan, are you listening to me!"

Kagome faltered in her steps as she was harshly yanked from her thoughts. "What is it now, Souta?"

"Inu-nii is here." he pointed to the hanyou on the floor that was playing with the fat calico cat.

Finally taking notice of raven haired girl, he abruptly stopped messing with the feline. Standing up, Inuyasha cleared his throat. "Ready to go?"

"Go? Go where?" Kagome tilted her head.

A tick mark rose in the hanyou's brow as he cooled his ire. "What do you mean 'where'? Back to my era of course!"

As his words sunk in, Kagome's ocean eyes widened. "You are joking, right?" she continued when she saw the serious expression on his face, "Inuyasha I just came back! I still have exams to take!"

"May I remind you that we are in the middle of a race to gather the shards of the Shikon no Tama? The jewel you broke!"

"Why must you bring that up every time?"

"Because it's true! Kikyou would never have shattered the jewel!" the instant Inuyasha spoke those words he wanted to take them back. Seeing the shine in her bright blue eyes dim, the silvery-white ears on top of his head flattened against his skull. "K...Kagome, I'm sorry."

She raised her hand. "Save it, Inuyasha. I've already realized that Kikyou will always be first in your heart, but I promised to be by your side no matter what."

Inuyasha looked at the girl who looked so much like the woman he loved. Not wanting to sound mushy, he placed his hands inside the sleeves of his crimson haori and scoffed. "Keh, I guess you can stay a little bit longer."

Kagome smiled, but it did not quite reach her eyes. "Arigato. I promise to come back as soon as I finish." she stepped forward and gave the hanyou a quick hug.

It was brief, but the silver haired boy was positive he smelled the scent of blood intermixed with Kagome's natural sweet scent. Not wanting to anger or sadden her, he decided to not ask about it.

Kagome was quiet as she watched the figure of Inuyasha disappear from her line of sight with an expressionless mask.

_Kikyou…_ the name that always seem to bring her misfortune.

_Kikyou, the woman made from clay, bones, and graveyard soil. I do not believe that we share a soul for even an ounce of a second. Leech, my soul is my own._

"Kagome-chan, be a dear and help your mother out with dinner" The soft voice of her mother jolted Kagome from her mussing.

"Hai, mama"

Kagome made her way to the kitchen. Nodoka looked up to see a solemn expression on her daughter face, but looked back down and resumed her task of julienning the vegetables.

"Ne, you will always be my darling Kagome-chan," Nodoka said softly to her daughter and gingerly looking up to meet her daughter's blue eyes.

A brilliant smile bloomed across Kagome's doll-like face. "Hai! I am Kagome, mama"

With a bounce in her step Kagome quickly set to work with helping prepare the evening meal.

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><p>Adorned in the borrowed kimono, Takuma lazily studied his reflection in the mirror. Subconsciously he watched as the aqua droplets drip from the tips of his hair. Angry flashes of the recent events displayed at the front of his mind.<p>

"Tsk…" He attempted to shake away the straying thought by harshly shutting his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath while thinking that it will do him no good to just keep standing there and made his way to the other occupants of the quaint home.

The sounds of bell-like laughter reached his sensitive ears as he looked up to greet the scene before him. It warmed his inhuman heart to see such a domestic scene. Mother and daughter moved expertly around each other to prepare homemade meals, the aroma of warm dishes caressed his olfactory devices.

An involuntary smile bloomed on his handsome face as he eyes were magnetically pulled toward the beautiful girl whose existence was unknown to him until their chance meeting.

As if sensing someone was gazing at her, those lovely ocean eyes locked with his own brilliant emeralds.

"Oh, Takuma-kun, I didn't hear you? I take it that you found everything." Kagome gave him a warm smile.

Takuma could not help but to return the warm smile. "Yes, arigato."

"Ne, Takuma-kun. Would you mind helping Kagome-chan while I go wash your clothes?" Nodoka's soft voice reached his sensitive ears.

Looking in the older woman's grey-blue eyes he gave her a slight bow. "I would be honored. It is the least I could do for your hospitality."

Nodoka gave him a soft motherly smile that reminded him of his own mother's smiles. "Arigato. Takuma-kun." she rushed out of the kitchen to begin washing the laundry.

After Kagome's mother left, Takuma approached the kitchen counter. "What can I do to help?"

A bright red blush faintly covered Kagome's cheeks as the earlier encounter came forth in her mind. "Ano...could you wash the vegetables while I cut them?"

Takuma gave her a polite smile and nodded, and began carrying out the request of the raven haired girl.

Silence filled the small kitchen area as the pair made a sweet moment looking image. All was nice until a familiar scent wafted towards Takuma.

"Itai! Shimatta, I cut myself."

The scent of her sweet blood was like nothing he had ever encountered before. If Takuma could only use mere words to describe the scent of this sweet elixir it would be 'Pure'. The temptation to devour such delicacy was just so great that it consumed Takuma in chronic pain as he fought with himself. Every muscle that made up his body tensed. He gave a quick glance at the young girl next to him to see her taste her own sweet elixir and could not help the remorse that rose within him. With a finger in her mouth Kagome looked so cute and innocent.

_I am a monster._

His remorse quickly dominated what he thought was the avalanche of temptations. With a sharp intake of air Takuma quickly stationed himself.

"Daijobu desu ka!" He gently took her wrist into his hand and led her to where he'd spotted a roll of kitchen paper towel. In a quick motion he encased her delicate finger and pressed down with enough pressure to limit the blood flow.

"Kagome-chan, I'll finish up cutting up the vegetables for you while you go get that wrap up alright?"

Kagome studied him intensely throughout his terrain. She could not help the butterflies in her abdomen affected by his reaction. He's so sweet. It seemed as if a thief had stolen the oxygen out of her. "I'm fine, Takuma-kun." She breathed out; her voice was hushed even in the silence of the small kitchen.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned nostalgic. The windy current of the running air conditioner to the air vent in the kitchen's ceiling danced around them with cunning purpose. The high pitch whistling of the boiling water in the heated kettle cruelly shattered the beautiful moment.

"Um" Kagome broke the silence

"Ano..."

"You go first."

"No, you go first." Takuma argued.

"No..."

"I insist." Takuma had the final words.

The two stared at each other for a few more seconds first with stoically blank faces, then with amusement filled eyes, and finally Kagome's face cracked an unintentional grin and they both simultaneously burst out into laughter.

From the living room, Souta looked up from his game towards the kitchen. "Ne, Nee-chan, what are you two laughing about?"

The two teens in the kitchen looked toward the questioning voice to see a confused looking Souta. They both turned back towards each other with twinkling eyes and gave out another session of laughter.

Put off, Souta did the only thing his young mind could think of and with a sly glint in his light blue eyes, he uttered as innocently as he could, "Ne, are you two dating?"

The laughter abruptly stopped. The two teens frantically looked from one another to the innocent looking boy in the living room. Bashful blushes crept onto their cheeks before they began making excuses and denials. They looked at each other once more before looking away, silence over taking them.

Kagome was the first to shatter the brief silence. Catching the sly glint in Souta's large blue eyes, she vented, "Souta, you little brat!"

Laughing, Souta dodged his sister's hands as she tried to capture him in a headlock. "Nee-chan, I was only kidding. But you should have seen the look on your faces." he managed between giggles.

"I don't care! Ooh! When I catch you, I'm going to pinch your cheeks off." She threatened as she watched him run up the stairs and into his room, thus being safe from her wrath for the time being. Kagome walked back into the kitchen, anger distorting her beautiful face. "Gomen ne, Takuma-kun. He tends to blurt out the first thing on his mind, just to bug me." She reached for the knife, but Takuma held it just out of her reach.

Placing a cheerful smile on his face he chastised her, "I believe that you've spilt enough blood today, ne? From now on, I'll cut them and you wash."

Kagome pouted and opened her mouth to argue, but Takuma spoke before she could.

"It is the least I could do, most humble host." He bowed.

She finally relented, "Fine."

Takuma chopped the remaining vegetables with elegant ease, his many years of sword practice aiding him.

Looking over that the tall blonde, her eyes widened at the speed she was cutting them. "Sugoi, Takuma-kun, you're a natural!"

"Arigato, I've taken sword lessons since I was young." He smiled.

"Hmm," Kagome hummed as she carefully washed the various vegetables and placed them in the boiling pot. "There! Now the only thing left to do is wait for the steak to finish cooking and then we can eat."

"That sounds good."

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><p>Kaykai: There's the second chapter. How was it, tell us in a Review!<p>

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CresentMelody


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: We don't own!

Beta: ShikiKira

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret<p>

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><p>Kagome gingerly reached for the delicious looking piece of steak with mouthwatering anticipation. She wasn't fast enough however; because Souta's quick hand snatched it away. She looked up and watched the content face of her brother chewing away in obvious enjoyment. She decided to not get upset at what he just did.<p>

_He probably did that by accident anyway. Oh that one looks good._

Once again, she set out to retrieve the tasty cuisine. Misfortune was smiling on her unfortunately because once again it was snatched away from her. Aggravation sparked within her but she brutally attempted to destroy the bad feeling. She took a deep breath and decided to try again.

_3rd time's the charm, just one more time._

Again, the notion was repeated, but this time Kagome could not take it anymore. Staring in disbelief at the empty space that housed her prize only seconds ago, her facial expression turned from disbelief to sorrow and flashed quickly to anger. With fire filled eyes, she gave the thief infernal fire glare.

"Souta! That was mine. What is up with you? That was the 3rd time you stole my food!"

"No I didn't. I just wanted to eat the same thing you did. It's just that I'm faster than you," Souta defended.

"No its not! Twice is chance and 3 times is a pattern; you did that on purpose!"

"Nuh uh."

"Uh huh."

"Nuh uh!"

The two stared at each other in obvious stubbornness and it was clear that neither one was willing to give up any ground. Takuma observed from the sideline with great amusement shining in his green eyes.

Nodoka let her amusement reign supreme as she let out a restricted chuckle before her maternal instinct came forth and did what good mothers do.

"Children, Children! Calm down."

"But she started it!"

"But he started it!"

"No, you did it first" They yelled simultaneously.

"MAMA!"

Holding back another burst of action that would've showed her great amusement, Nodoka put on a disappointed face and sit back in silent and wait patiently for...

Guilt entered their eyes as the two siblings looked back and forth from their sibling's face to their mother's.

"Gomenasai, Mama"

They studied their mother face that still gave nothing away, but because she was their mother the notion was clear to them. She is not satisfied with their reaction. Looking back at one another the answer quickly came to them.

"Gomen Souta."

"Gomen Nee-chan."

"No Souta, I'm sorry."

"Nee-chan, I started so, I'm sorry."

"Souta." Kagome ground out.

"Nee-chan."

They stared each other down again. That was short lived however, because soon Souta relented with a cute childish pout and a few quick blinks caused by sudden inspiration. In a swift motion he presented Kagome's rice filled bow now filled with her favorite entrée, Oden.

"Gomenasai, Nee-chan" Souta said in a sincere tone accompanied with a beautiful smile.

Kagome looked at him in wonder. 'When did he get so mature?' With a cute pout on her face she decided to play along.

"You just have to get the last words, don't you?" she offered him an empty glare.

Souta's smile widened in obvious delight and it brought sparks of joy to his large light blue eyes.

A sly smile appeared on Kagome's face that brought apprehension to Souta's heart. Kagome reached behind his head and brought it toward her own and gave him a sound emphasized kiss. "You're so cute, Souta! Arigato!"

With that she quickly went back to eating with obvious happiness that radiant out of her that could illuminate the dark night like thousands of dancing fireflies.

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><p>Takuma readjusted the red silk tie at his throat before he neatly tucked it into his pristine white vest. "Well, I must be going now. Domo Arigato for everything," he bowed smoothly.<p>

Kagome returned the bow with one of her own all though not as elegant as Takuma. "I told you before if I did not help you, the guilt would have eaten me away."

"We enjoyed your company, Takuma-kun. You are free to visit anytime you like."

"Arigato. Now I must take my leave, I've kept my companion waiting far too long. Sayonara." Takuma stepped down and pulled his shoes on. Stopping briefly to wave to the occupants of the home and opened the sliding door.

An elderly man dropped the parchment he was holding, gaping at the beautiful young man standing in the doorway of his home. One word can to his mind as he reached inside his haori. "Youkai be gone!" He stepped forward and slapped an ofuda on the boy's forehead, waiting for him to go up in flames.

"Jii-chan! He's not a youkai!" Kagome chastised the old man.

Takuma reached up for the paper seal, but stopped upon hearing the old man's words.

"Stay back, Kagome! I know a youkai when I see one! This boy is not human!"

Takuma stiffened. _How does this old man know?_

Nodoka walked around Takuma and peeled the paper charm out of his blonde hair. "Gomen, Takuma-kun."

"Nodoka, get away from him!" Jii-chan cried.

Kagome looked over at Takuma, who was silently griping about the glue in his hair. _Now that Jii-chan has said something about it…Takuma-kun's aura is a bit off. _She sent out a tiny bit of her miko ki to sense what was off about the blonde's aura, but was blocked by some kind of barrier. _Nande…Kekkai?_

"Takuma, there you are."

"Ala?" Kagome looked over at the sound of the baritone voice.

A man with long shaggy, yet neat dark brown hair and dark eyes walked up towards them, behind him was a young girl with long brown hair and reddish brown eyes about Kagome's age. Kagome noticed that the boy was wearing the same uniform as Takuma. _Is this Takuma's friend?_

"Forgive me Kaname. You see, I got a little…side-tracked," Takuma answered.

The young girl tugged on Kaname's sleeve.

"What is it, Yuuki?"

"Ojii-san is glaring at us." She pointed at Kagome's jii-chan.

Kaname turned a small yet charming smile at the elderly man. "Is something wrong?"

"Leave this sacred ground youkai!" Jii-chan growled, pulling out more sacred sutras.

Kagome ran and held her jii-chan back. "Gomenasai, Jii-chan thinks that anybody he meets is youkai." she laughed nervously. _All of their auras feel off. It's not youki nor is it reiki. Just what is this?_

Kaname smiled. "All is understood. Takuma shall we be going now?"

"Yes, Kaname." Takuma turned to the Higurashi family and bowed. "Domo Arigato for your hospitality."

"It was nice having you Takuma-kun." Nodoka gave them a motherly smile. "Remember my offer. You may come and visit anytime. And you can even bring your friends."

"Nodoka! I forbid it." Jii-chan voiced.

"Jii-chan! Stop being rude!" Kagome hushed the elderly man.

"Yeah Jii-chan Takuma-nii-chan is nice." Souta piped in.

Jii-chan saw that he was out numbered and scowled. He let out a grunt and walked inside the house with his head held high. "I'll relent for now, but as long as I'm around…no youkai will harm my family." he slammed the door shut.

"Sayonara, Takuma-kun. Nice meeting you, Kaname-san, Yuuki-san." Kagome bowed before waving at her new friend.

Takuma gave them a small wave in return. "Sayonara."

As Kagome watched the retreating forms of the three unnaturally beautiful people, she couldn't help the confused expression that seeped into her eyes. _Cross Academy desu ka?_

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><p>The sun's warm rays shone through the window and onto Kagome's face. She threw an arm over her face, trying to block the light but it wasn't going to relent. Stretching almost cat-like, Kagome opened her sleep hazy eyes and crawled out of bed. Dragging her feet to the bathroom, she splashed cold water on her face. Now that she was wide awake, Kagome smiled brightly at the mirror.<p>

_Today is going to be a great day!_

Rushing back to her room, so that Souta wouldn't hog the shower, she gathered her clothing for the day. Nothing too fancy, just a simple red sundress. After her shower she hurried down the stairs and greeted her family.

"Ohayo!"

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan."

"Ohayo, Nee-chan!" Souta elbowed Jii-chan gently.

He looked up from his newspaper, still a bit peeved from yesterday. "Ohayo, Kagome."

_So…he's still angry at me. Well, I'm not about to allow that to ruin my perfect day! _As Kagome sat day her mother placed her breakfast in front of her. "Arigato, Mama!"

The Higurashi family ate in near silence, only a few words were exchange until Souta asked Kagome something.

"Ne…Nee-chan?"

Kagome glanced up at her younger brother. "What is it, Souta?"

"Ano…would you…take me and Hitomi to the fair today?"

"Hai, I will."

Souta gave her a bright smile that made his light blue eyes sparkle. "Really! You're the best Nee-chan!"

She had a smug look on her face. "Hai, I am, aren't I." it was more of a statement than a question.

"Don't get so smug about it!" Souta declared.

Kagome childishly stuck her tongue out at him.

"Kagome-chan…would you like to help me in the kitchen once you return?" Nodoka's soft voice reached Kagome's ears.

"Hai, Mama! I'd like that very much." Kagome stood to put her dishes in the sink.

"Nee-chan…you're not going to where that to the fair, are you?" Souta questioned, eyeing her red dress.

Kagome looked down at her clothing. "And what's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

A sly glint shone in his sapphire eyes. "Oh nothing…unless you want someone to see your undies!" he raced out of the kitchen.

An angry blush spread over her face as she let his words sink in. "Souta, you little brat!" Sending a glare at the retreating form, she sighed. "Guess I'll go change then."

* * *

><p>Souta straighten his clothes for the umpteenth time since they left the house and it was beginning to grind Kagome's nerves. As he smoothed his grey t-shirt once more she snapped.<p>

"Souta, you look fine! Now quit messing with your clothes!"

"But, Nee-chan...Hitomi is going to be with us."

Kagome softened her stern look until it melted into a sisterly look of love. "Souta...I understand that you want to look nice for Hitomi-chan, but we are going to the fair. They're just going to get wrinkled again."

Souta glared at her.

She laughed softly. "Hai. Hai. Come on, the train is here."

The young boy grabbed his sister's hand as the bordered the train. They took the nearest seats and silently waited for their stop.

* * *

><p>"Souta!" a young girl with short brown hair and large black eyes ran and hugged Souta. "I'm so happy to see you!"<p>

Souta embraced her back, laughing softly when she nuzzled his cheek. "I'm happy to see you too, Hitomi. Guess what? My nee-chan is going to take us to the fair!"

Her black eyes shifted to the young woman standing behind them. "Really?" she squealed when Kagome nodded with a smile. "Arigato Kagome-nee-chan!"

"Anata wa kangei, Hitomi-chan. Well let's get going."

The young couple readily agreed, holding hands as they followed Kagome to the fairgrounds.

* * *

><p>Kaykai: There it is the third Chapter! Soon Kagome will go back to the feudal era, where even more plot twists and turns will happen, but the only way to find out is to…<p>

REVIEW!

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CresentMelody


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: We do not own either anime/manga. You can't sue us.

Beta: ShikiKira

* * *

><p>The joyful sounds of laughter traveled among the sound waves of the large fairground. Jubilant music weaved and tangled with abundance noises of human activities. Kagome's laughter joined all the other noises as she let out cheerful laughter at her two charges excitement as they each took one of her arms and all but drag her toward the Fair's ground.<p>

"Nee-chan, hurry up! We're almost there!" Souta continued to run ahead and drug his much too slow sister behind him.

"Hai, hai!" Kagome replied. "You know, Souta. The fairgrounds won't get any farther away even if you slow down a bit. Especially because Hitomi-chan doesn't have your stamina and is falling behind."

That statement caused Souta to cease and he quickly turned around to see a panting Hitomi. Guilt entered his bright blue eyes as he quickly made his way toward the girl. "Gomen, Hitomi!" Souta took hold of her hand as he displayed his puppy eyes to the naïve girl. She didn't stand a chance.

"Daijobu, Souta." Hitomi spoke as she tried to hide a blush.

_They're so cute!_Kagome almost squealed as she observed the scene. She blinked and suddenly the two children before her were replaced by herself and a familiar looking blonde. Another blink returned the two figures to Souta and Hitomi. _What was that?_

Kagome voluntarily executed a rapid exercise of her eyelids and shook her head. Her heart raced in a rhythmic drumming. She did a quick scan of her surroundings and took quick strides to the two pre-teens and took their hands, then quickly pulled them toward the fairground entrance.

"Nee-chan?"

"Yes Souta." Kagome replied without looking back.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?"

She put on a large smile before she turned back to meet his eyes. "Nothing's wrong, I'm just really excited when I spotted the cotton candy!" She turned her head to point to the candy stand not too far ahead. She increased her pace and let out a laugh. "Come on, I haven't had cotton candy in like forever!"

After purchasing the sticky, sweet treats Souta and Hitomi proceeded to pull Kagome all around the fair, riding several different rides.

"Oh! Souta look!" Hitomi pointed at a stuffed white tiger. "It's so cute!"

Souta gazed at his girlfriend. "Alright, I'll win it for you!"

Hitomi's black eyes sparkled. "Really! Arigato!" she gave him a big hug.

Souta turned to his sister with pleading eyes.

Kagome sighed, relenting. She reached in her shorts' pocket and pulled out a couple of yen. "Go for it Souta. Just stay where I can see you."

Souta nodded vigorously and grabbed Hitomi's hand, and together they ran off to the game booths.

The older girl smiled at the young couple's enthusiasm, before her thoughts turned dark. _Soon, I'll have to go back to the Sengoku Jidai to help defeat Naraku. I better make the best of my time here._

"Kagome-chan?"

Kagome looked up at the sound of her name being called and potted her three friends, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. "Hey, guys!" she waved them over.

"Kagome-chan! How have you been feeling? We heard that you sprained your back again?" Eri questioned.

A tick mark raised in Kagome's brow. _Looks like Jii-chan got his revenge. Just you wait old man!_"Oh, that! It was nothing! I'm here with Souta and his girlfriend, Hitomi-chan."

"Oh yeah." Ayumi spoke up, "Souta-kun does have a girlfriend."

Eri squealed. "So they're here on a date!"

"That is so cute!" Yuka clasped her hands together.

Eri looked over Kagome's shoulder. "Don't look now but here comes Hojo-kun!" she whispered.

Kagome groaned inaudibly.

"Higurashi! You are doing well I hope," Hojo greeted as he approached the girl.

"Hello, Hojo-kun. What brings you here?" Kagome questioned politely, though she wanted to rip her hair out. _Will he ever take a hint!_

A faint blush spread across Hojo's lightly tanned cheeks. "Well actually I'm here for the funnel cakes." he confessed. "Ano…Higurashi, would you like to go…ride the Ferris Wheel with me?"

"Eh?" Kagome gaped.

"Kagome-chan, go."

"Ala? Eri-chan?" Kagome looked down and saw her friends kneeling at her feet behind her.

"Kagome-chan, you need to get over that two-timer. Hojo-kun is a great guy!" Yuka whispered.

"You should do it, Kagome-chan!" Ayumi grinned.

"Ano…I would like to Hojo-kun, but I have to watch my little brother and his girlfriend, she gestured to the two.

"Kagome-chan we'll watch them for you!" Eri chirped, standing up.

"Yeah, Kagome-chan! Go ride the Fair's Wheel with Hojo-kun!" Ayumi and Yuka gave her a gentle push.

Hojo gave her a nervous smile and held his hand out for hers.

With a mental groan, Kagome plastered a fake smile and placed her delicate hand in his. She gave her three smiling friends an icy glare over her shoulder as Hojo proceeded to pull her to the large wheel in the center of the fairgrounds. They gave the ticket collector their tickets and were settled in one of the large carts. Hojo turned and smile brightly at the young woman next to him. She returned a smile that did not reach her eyes before she looked away with a scowl.

_Why can't those three get it through their heads that I don't like Hojo-kun? He's just a friend!_Kagome sighed and rested her head in her hand, looking at the clouds slowly swirling in the sky.

Hojo continued to gaze at the dark haired girl who captured his affections. The sun made her pale skin glow in its warm golden shine; her sapphire eyes sparkled; the blue shine to her hair stood out even more than usual._Kawaii!_Hesitantly, he reached out for her hand. _Today is the day! The day I ask Kagome to be my girlfriend._

Kagome felt Hojo take a hold of her hand and looked at him, her eyes holding a slight confusion. "What is it, Hojo-kun?"

Swallowing dryly, sweat beaded at his brow as a warm blush spread over his face. "Ano…Higurashi…iie Kagome, will you…be my…" he was cut off when the Fair's wheel gave a jerk, forcing him to let go of Kagome's soft hand and clutch the safety rail tightly.

Kagome laughed joyfully. "Wow! That was some jolt wasn't it Hojo-kun." _Thank kami for crappy machinery!_

Hojo looked at her sincerely in the eyes before his lips tilted up in a smile. "Yeah. I guess it was." I guess now isn't the right time?

The large wheel finally came to a stop, Kagome and Hojo exited the ride, thanking the ticket collector, and headed back towards to where Kagome left her friends in charge of her brother and his girlfriend.

"Arigato Hojo-kun, but I must be going now." Kagome turned to walk away, but Hojo grabbed her wrist.

"Wait Higurashi!"

"Ala? What is it?"

Again, a rosy hue covered his cheeks and he timidly met her large cerulean eyes with his own dark blue ones. "Ano…Higurashi…tomorrow would you like to go to Wacdonald's with me?"

"Uhm…" _Shimatta! I wanted to return to the Sengoku Jidai tomorrow._

"She'd love to!"

"Eh?" Suddenly Kagome was surrounded by her oh so helpful friends.

"Pick her up at 4 o'clock sharp." Yuka said.

"Yuka-chan!"

"Really! Great! See you tomorrow at 4, Higurashi!" Hojo ran off before Kagome could deny.

She shrugged her friends off. "Why did you guys do that?"

"Hojo-kun is a nice guy. You should give him a chance. That two timing boyfriend is no good." Eri pouted at the scolding.

"How many times must I tell you guys? I'm not dating Yasha and I don't like Hojo-kun more than a friend!" she huffed, walking away from the three girls.

"Do you think we made her upset?" Ayumi questioned.

Yuka and Eri held on to each other. "Of course not."

* * *

><p>Kagome found her brother and Hitomi by the goldfish stand. She smiled seeing the large white tiger that the younger girl had wanted was now clutched tightly to her chest as she cheered Souta on. Laughing when Souta caught a fish in the net, only to have his scoop break and the fish flipped back into the water with a small splash.<p>

"Aww, maybe next time, Souta." she teased.

"Nee-chan!"

"Kagome-nee-chan!" Hitomi ran up to the older girl, showing her the tiger. "See what Souta got for me! And it only took him five tries!"

"Hitomi, you weren't supposed to tell her that!" Souta whined.

Hitomi clamped a hand over her mouth, stifling a few giggles. "Gomen, gomen, Souta."

Kagome watched the interaction between the younger couple with great amusement before clapping her hands. "Okay, time to go!"

"Aww!" they protested. "Already!"

She nodded. "Afraid so. Apparently I have a date to get ready for tomorrow."

Souta's light blue eyes widened a bit at his sister words. _Wasn't she planning on going back tomorrow?_Shrugging the thought away he took hold of Hitomi's hand and proceeded to follow his sister out the fairground and to the train station.

* * *

><p>How's that! Review and tell us how good(or bad) we did.<p>

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CresentMelody


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: We do not own either anime/manga. You can't sue us.

Beta: ShikiKira

* * *

><p>The sweet sound of classical music weaved the serene atmosphere of the modest kitchen of the Sunset Shrine. A daughter and mother pair were dancing around each other, moving in synchronizing movements. The pair was currently having one of the rare moments of mother-daughter bonding time. There was no verbal communication needed. Nodoka was busying herself with cleaning up, while Kagome was taking her time to cut perfect fruits pieces to add as garnish to the almost complete four tiers vanilla cake with whipped-cream cheese icing.<p>

A nostalgic feeling swept over Kagome suddenly as the ancient grandfather clock struck five. Delicate rays of warm light from the setting sun shimmered through the kitchen window's glass and embraced Kagome's small form. There was also a light wind that danced around her. Kagome's breath was lost to her for what felt like time itself had stop just for her. Her heart was encased by warmth that was of an unknown origin to her. Her hand unconsciously moved to cover over her beating heart.

_Where did this warmth come from?_

Her silent question was left unanswered. Her eyes followed the light of the warm sun to the outside world of the kitchen window. It was beautiful. The rose colored sky was so breathtaking at that moment.

_This is our time_. Her heart skipped, its drumming increased in rhythm. _This was the time that I met him._

The reason behind her heart reaction she dared not analyze; yet her traitorous mind provided her with a beautiful vivid image of the handsome blonde. An almost whimpering sound escaped her lips and she closed her eyes tight. Half of her wanted to get rid of the captivating image and yet the other half of her wanted to keep a tight hold on it, less it slipped away.

_Why?_ The thought was so simple yet not. Why, why what? Why did she think of him? Why had her heart reacted the way it did, when her mind had yet to truly let go of her first love? Why, why, why? Why indeed.

"...chan? Kagome-chan? Is everything alright, dear?" The soft timber of Nodoka's voice stringed Kagome back from her nostalgic trance. Her head jerked in reflex at the call of her name and she blinked in quick sequences to clear away any residue of her dreamlike-state.

"Hai, Mama...? Ano not really, I do not know what had come over me." Her voice trailed off and her brows furrowed as her eyes once again gazed out at the setting sun.

Nodoka gave her daughter a confused look. She set down the kitchen towel that she had used to dry her wet hands on onto the counter top and walk over to her daughter. A motherly smile adorned her soft-aged face as she cupped her daughter cheeks. Kagome reflexively turned her head to and locked sapphire eyes with her mother's dark oak. She unconsciously snuggled into her mother's warm, soft hand and basked in the affectionate gesture.

"Sweetie..." Nodoka's voice trailed off as she gently brought her arms around her daughter and embraced her. "My daughter is growing up." The wording of her voice let Kagome know that her mother was talking to herself as much as she was talking to her. "I can see it in your eyes that you are letting go of your childhood. The carefree child that I raised and nurtured is slowly, but surely slipping away from me."

Her mother's voice was so soft and strained; Kagome did not need sight or touch to know of her mother's tearful state. Kagome hugged her mother tighter and buried her face into her hair in an attempt to hide away the fluid that threatened to flow from her ocean colored eyes.

"Mama…"

"My daughter is so kind, too kind. I am so proud of her. She gives and gives, sacrificing so much and yet gets so little in return. I have to watch on the sideline as she journeys to face unknown danger, as her heart cries for the love that can never be returned. She thought that I know not of her struggles, but I'm your mother! My dearest daughter, my blood flows in your veins. I was the one that nurtured your personality into what it is. You cannot hide much from me."

Kagome had long surrendered to the river of tears that consumed her. Her body shook in tension and the heartbreaking sound of sobbing mixed with the classical melody of the radio.

For an uncounted amount of time later, Kagome calmed down from her tearful emotional high and pulled back from her mother's warm embrace. She wiped away her tears with her mother's help and did the same for her.

"Mama, I'm really sorry for keeping things from you. It's just...I don't want to bother you with something that you really have no control over. Heck, I don't even have control over most of the things that I have to face. Plus Mama, when I come home; I really want to leave problems behind and just be a normal teenager."

_Not that it worked much._

Nodoka studied her daughter face for a moment. She resisted a sigh as she gently smoothed out her daughter's soft mane of raven hair.

"I see. But Kagome, ignorance may be bliss but in the end it will turn lethal. I can carry on and tell you many possible scenarios but let's sweep away this depressing atmosphere and enjoy this rare bonding time."

The emphasizing on the word rare was not missed by Kagome. She relented in her moody replies and followed her mother's example. She set out to acquire plates and utensils for the cake while her mother was working on the finishing touches before she proceed to cut it.

* * *

><p>"Ne Kagome-chan, what this I heard about a date with Hojo?"<p>

Kagome let out a groan as she halted in her finishing touch for her essay assignment homework.

"Mama, who told you?"

She glanced up to quickly, studying her mother's expression before she turned back to her paper and continued her train of thought before she lost it.

"That would be telling, sweetheart. I don't give away my information."

"For a moment there, I thought you would make a great spy Mama" Kagome said without looking up as she hands move in furiously across the page. She missed her mother's slight flinch at her words.

_If you only knew, sweet heart, if you only knew._

"Well, I am your mother. Where do you think you get all your talents?"

At her mother's almost arrogant tone, Kagome looked up and caught Nodoka's playful wink. She shared a small smile with her and turned her attention back to her essay.

"I am quite talented aren't I?" Her voice was overflowed with amusement before she let out a sigh. "It's too bad that I haven't been able to do any of my hobbies since my fifteenth birthday."

Nodoka gave her a sympathetic look that went unseen by Kagome as she was still busying herself with her homework. A quick decision to change the subject, Nodoka stood up and made her way to her daughter's closet. She opened it and began to browse through the many articles of clothing.

"Have you decided on what to where for tomorrow yet, Kagome?"

Kagome rolled her eyes at her mother's enthusiastic tone. _I swear, sometimes she acts more like a teenager than I do._ "Not yet, Mama." She replied blandly. _I don't really care what I wear tomorrow._

"Don't be like that, dear. Hojo-kun is a nice guy; besides you never know, you might bump into someone that you would want to see. Let's say, Takuma-san?"

Kagome missed the underlining tone of her mother's voice as she dealt her reflexive reaction to the handsome blonde's name. Her heart skipped a beat and caused her breath to hitch and a noticeable blush flushed her cheeks as an abundant amount of images of him raced through her mind. "D…don't be silly, Mama! Takuma-kun is visiting Kaname-san and Yuuki-san!"

Nodoka pulled out a dark blue blouse and a white knee-length skirt, showing it to Kagome with a bright smile on her face. "Ne, Kagome-chan, what do you think about this?"

The younger girl sighed, knowing that there was no point in arguing with her over enthusiastic mother. "Hai Mama, it's perfect."

"Glad you agree." her mother set the outfit out and headed for the door. "Oh. And Kagome-chan?"

"Hm."

"Try not to stay up too late, ne?" Nodoka spoke, glancing at the clock on the nightstand.

Kagome nodded her head, waving her mother out of the room. "Hai, hai, I'll go to bed as soon as I finish this."

The soft clicking of her door notified Kagome that her mother had left her room. She quickly finished her essay and changed into her pajamas. As she lay in her bed she allowed her thoughts to drift off to the strange aura of the three students of Cross Academy.

_What was with their strange aura…and why was there a barrier around Takuma-kun's when Kaname-san showed up? Something is up with that Academy, and I want to figure out why. Tomorrow, I'll ask Mama to grab me an application for Cross Academy; I will get to the bottom of their strange aura._

As Kagome drifted off to sleep, her dreams were plagued by the mysterious, beautiful blonde and also of someone she wished to forget…the silver haired Inu hanyou she met nearly a year ago in the Sengoku Jidai.

* * *

><p>"Ohayo, minna-san!" Kagome chirped as she ran into the kitchen.<p>

"Ohayo, Kagome-chan!"

"Ohayo, Nee-chan!"

Jii-chan did not look up from his paper, still not ready to forgive Kagome. "Ohayo, Kagome…"

Kagome walked over to her jii-chan and threw her arms around him, hugging him closely. "Gomenasai, Jii-chan. Please don't be angry at me. I'll bring you something back from the past." She gave him her best puppy eyes, adding a quiver of the lip for good measure.

Jii-chan looked away from the cute image his granddaughter was making, but made one fatal flaw. He looked back at her, thinking she had quit. His heart warmed and a slow smile spread over his wrinkled face. "I can't stay mad at my favorite granddaughter for long." Jii-chan returned her embrace. "You better bring me back something good."

Her sapphire eyes sparkled as she beamed up at her grandfather. "Hai, Jii-chan!" She ran over and gave her mother a quick hug and kissed Souta soundly on the cheek before running out the door. "I'm leaving!"

* * *

><p>"So, Kagome-chan, are you ready for you date with Hojo-kun?" Yuka asked eagerly as she leaned on her desk.<p>

Kagome scowled at her friend's eagerness. "You mean the one you and Eri are forcing me to go to?"

Eri looked taken aback. "Kagome-chan, that was kind of mean."

"No, what is mean is you and Yuka, who are supposed to be my friends, are forcing me to go on a date with a boy I'm not interested in!" the ocean eyed girl snapped.

Ayumi tried to play the peace-maker, calming Kagome down a bit. "Kagome-chan, you don't have to do with Hojo-kun. We, well I, just don't want to see you depressed over your two-timing Ex, Yasha."

Kagome took a deep breath in order to fully cool her ire before placing a bright fake smile on her face. "Okay and arigato Ayumi-chan. You are a good friend."

The sliding door opened, revealing their sensei. "Alright, class. Lunch time is over. Back to your seat and put away your bentos." He turned to the chalk board, scribbling down the classwork.

* * *

><p>"Tadaima!" Kagome called out, shutting the door.<p>

"Welcome home, Kagome-chan!" Nodoka called from the kitchen.

"Hi, Mama!"

"I just got off the phone with Hojo-kun; he will be here in half an hour. So, that gives you enough time to take a bath."

Kagome's face twisted into a small scowled, but nodded and ran upstairs to gather the outfit her mother picked out.

After the tub filled with the muscle soothing warm water, Kagome's thoughts once again began to drift. _Cross Academy? Once I'm able to rid myself of Hojo-kun, I will do research on that school. _Kagome sunk lower into the water as vivid images of the beautiful blonde she met just mere days ago_ Takuma-kun…how are you making my heart pound every time the clock strikes five?_

A rasping of the door shook Kagome from her musings as her brother's voice flowed through.

"Nee-chan, Hojo-nii is here!"

Groaning, she pulled herself out of the tub. "Okay! I'll be down in a minute!" Throwing her clothes on Kagome tied her hair up in a loose ponytail with a white ribbon. Giving herself an once over, she deemed herself suitable. Just because she didn't want to go on the date didn't mean she wanted to look horrible. Kagome slowly drugged her feet down the stairs, dreading each one. Plastering a smile that did not reach her eyes, she looked up at Hojo. "Hi, Hojo-kun."

Hojo rubbed the back of his neck. "Ano…you look very pretty, Higurashi." he offered his hand.

"Arigato." Kagome placed her hand in his, telling her mother that she was gone and walked out the door with Hojo.

* * *

><p><em>Argh! I still can't believe I let them trick me into going on a date with Hojo-kun!<em> Kagome ranted to herself as she sipped quietly at her milkshake.

Hojo shyly glanced at the girl who stole his heart. "Ano, by the way Higurashi, I have something for you."

"Eh? What is it?"

Hojo leaned down and reached into his bag and pulled out a plastic bag. "Here, Dried Newts. I heard that they were excellent for Beriberi."

Kagome fell over in her mind. _Come on Hojo-kun, do I look sick to you? Geeze, how clueless can a guy get?_ "Ala?" Kagome felt someone watching her. Turning her head she spotted the culprit.

It was a beautiful looking woman, her long strawberry blonde hair swaying in an un-blowing wind. Those piercing navy eyes locked with Kagome's ocean colored orbs. A small smile crossed the woman's face before someone passed through Kagome's line of sight, breaking the connection. Once the person had passed the woman was gone.

_That was strange. _Kagome looked around the small restaurant, searching for the unearthly beautiful woman. _Who was that woman?_

"Kagome…is that you?"

The sapphire eyed girl whipped her head around and spotted the man she met a few days ago. His blonde hair highlighted by the sun's warm rays; those beautiful emerald colored eyes locked with her own ocean gems. Her pulse began to accelerate as she whispered his name.

"Takuma-kun."

* * *

><p>Finished! Can anybody guess who the woman was? Here's a hint it deals with Takuma later on in the story. Okay for those who want Kagome to go back to the past, she will in the next chapter for sure!<p>

Review!

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CrescentMelody


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I added a Japanese term at the bottom. Sorry for not putting it up earlier. _

Disclaimer: We know we don't own it. You know we don't own it. So, why do you keep asking?

Beta: ShikiKira

* * *

><p>"Takuma-kun."<p>

Kagome's soft voice of his name was so faint that even with Takuma's vampire hearing he had almost mistaken it for the wind. Takuma let his instincts reign free as he reflexively followed the sound. The two teens locked eyes for a timeless moment before it was levelly broken by the need to blink. Takuma could feel the gentle smile blossom on his face as he greeted her with an impromptu gesture. He was gifted with a beautiful smile in return.

Hojo watched in forced silence as an unnamed atmosphere cast over the two teens. He could do nothing but watch as his 'date' focus all her attention on the unknown alluring male as he made his way towards her. The grip on his water glass hardened and shook in great tension.

"We meet again, Kagome." Takuma voice flowed like first sun ray on virgin snow and flooded warmth to Kagome's stomach. He reached for one of her hands gently and brought it to his lips and graced her with a butterfly like kiss. His eyes not once left hers unattended. Kagome felt her throat lock and she was unable to reply.

A volt of electricity raced through her at his mere touch only to be amplified by the soft touch of his smooth lips. Her heart raced. Her breathing disabled.

"Takuma-kun, I see you."

The words left Kagome lips uncensored through her mind. _Takuma-kun…why am I acting like this?_

At her reply, Takuma could not help himself. Amusement dominated and illuminated his eyes while he gave her a charming smile.

"Hai! I see you, Kagome."

A flashback of that fateful day showed in both of their minds and faint blushes spread over their cheeks. The ugly presence of envy made its grand entrance in Hojo's heart. He could not believe that the unknown male had so smoothly stolen his date right in front of him.

_Who does he thinks he is?_

His dark blue eyes were ablaze in malicious glints and his fist tightened on the glass cup making spider-web like cracks.

"Who are you!"

The two seemingly not notice anything around them. They were chatting in hushed tones in their own little world. Takuma had not yet let go of Kagome's hand.

Hojo stood from his seat and ripped Takuma's hand away from Kagome's. The girl let out a frustrated scream as the cool air hit her hand.

"Hojo-kun, what is your problem?"

"My problem? Higurashi, you're here with me and yet you're giving all your attention to this blonde pretty boy!" Hojo pointed an enraged finger at Takuma.

Guilt flooded into Kagome's being, but was quickly squashed when Takuma's smooth voice echoed through her ears.

"I apologize. I didn't mean to intrude on your outing. Kagome is a dear friend of mine." he extended his hand. "Ore wa Ichijo Takuma. Hajimemashite"

Hojo eyed his hand skeptically before a grin broke out on his face, and he accepted. "Boku wa Sasaki Hojo. Hajimemashite."

Kagome watched the interaction between the two males, wondering how Takuma can easily make someone his friend. She laughed at herself, feeling silly because she, herself, had no trouble making an abundant amount of friends where ever she goes. "Ne, ne Takuma-kun, where's Kaname-san and Yuuki-san?"

He looked at and her heart fluttered. "They are around here somewhere. Our school is closed for construction at the moment."

"Well, Takuma-san, I think it's time for you to leave. Kagome and I wish to finish our date." Hojo said, a little bit too cheerful, throwing his arm across her waist.

Kagome shrieked at the sudden touch and balled her hand up to keep from smacking the arrogant look off of Hojo's face. _Since when did he call me 'Kagome'?_

They missed the darken look in the blonde's emerald eyes when he bid them farewell, they also did not hear him curse Hojo's very presence. _What are these feelings? Jealousy? No, she is a good friend. Isn't she?_

* * *

><p>As soon as Takuma was out of sight and ear shot, Kagome twisted out of Hojo's grasp. "Nani ittai, Hojo-kun. Why did you do that?"<p>

He yanked her into a hard embrace. "Kagome, I like you so much. I don't want someone else to take you from me."

"What are you talking about? Let me go?"

"Boku no gārufurendo dekirudarou?"

She stiffened. "Hojo-kun?" Kagome looked up at the boy, who staring at her with sincere dark blue eyes. "Gomen…Atashi wa anata no gārufurendo dekimasen."

Hojo tighten his hold when she tried to pull away. "Iie! Kagome, you have to be my girlfriend!"

"Hojo-kun let me go! I can't be your girlfriend! I already have someone I like!"

His eyes darken. "Is it Takuma-san?"

"Nani!" her heart skipped a beat like always when his name was mentioned. "I…iie! Takuma-kun…Takuma-kun is just a friend."

Hojo shook her, not caring that he was starting a scene. "Then who, Kagome! Tell who is keeping you from being my girlfriend!"

"Because she is with me." A hand clamped down on Hojo's shoulder.

Hojo twirled around to face the tall, handsome brunette and his throat closed up at the calm, piercing gaze he was given.

"K…Kaname-san…?" Kagome whispered.

"Kagome-san." the way he spoke her name was like rubbing silk together.

_What is Kaname-san doing?_

He looked at Hojo. "Release her."

The blue eyed boy immediately removed his hold on Kagome's waist.

"Come here, Kagome-san."

"H…Hai!" Forcing her legs to move, Kagome made her way over to Kaname, blushing when he in turn wound his arm around her waist.

Kaname pulled her closer to him, continuing to speak to Hojo. "You will leave her alone now."

Hojo dumbly nodded his head and ran away from the unnervingly beautiful man.

Once Hojo was gone Kaname released his grip on Kagome and stepped away at an appropriate distant. "Ore o yurushi. It looked like he was giving you trouble."

It took a moment for Kagome to gather her thoughts before she realized that he was speaking to her. "Ah, it's okay Kaname-san. Honto ni arigatogozaimashita."

Kaname gave her a gentle smile. "Anata doitashimashite, Kagome-san. You helped a good friend of mine, so it is only proper for me to return the favor."

"Onii-sama!"

"Yuuki."

The girl who came with him clamped onto his arm. "Mou, Onii-sama, why did you leave all of a sudden like that?"

"Gomen ne, Yuuki. I left because I saw that someone was giving Kagome-san some problems."

Yuuki glanced over at Kagome. "Ah! You're the one with the strange ojii-san!"

Kagome laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "You'll have to forgive my senile jii-chan. He didn't mean any harm."

The younger girl continued to look at her with piercing reddish brown eyes and Kagome squirmed a little. Yuuki's face split in a smile. "I like you! Want to be my friend!"

"Ala? Uhm…Sure, Yuuki-san. I'll be your friend."

Yuuki held out her hand. "Just Yuuki is fine. We're friends now!"

The raven haired girl laughed. "Right! Yuuki-chan, do you also attend Cross Academy?"

The girl nodded. "Un! The chairman is my adopted Otou-san. Why is Kagome-chan going to apply for the Academy?"

Kagome nodded. "Yes, my Mama is supposed to get me and application…" she glanced at her watch. "Oh, no! I have to go!"

"Kagome-san, what is the matter?" Kaname asked.

"I'm going to be late. I have to go. Arigato for the help, Kaname-san. Yuuki-chan, I hope to see you if I get into Cross Academy!"

"Okay! Sayonara, Kagome-chan!"

Once Kagome was out of sight Yuuki's cheerful expression turned somber. "Onii-sama, did you have to act so friendly with her?"

"Yuuki."

She clamped onto his arm tighter. "Iie, Onii-sama is mine!"

Kaname curled his fingers under her chin, tilting it back and placed a soft kiss on her nose. "Yuuki, you can call me Kaname, now."

"Hai, Kaname." She looked in the direction that Kagome left. "Is she the one?"

The older vampire nodded. "Yes, she will replace you as the school perfect at the Academy."

* * *

><p>"Tadaima!" Kagome called out as she entered the house.<p>

"Okaerinasai, Kagoem-chan. I have your application for Cross Academy on your dresser. You can take it once you get back." Nodoka instructed.

"Arigato, Mama." Kagome started for the stairs.

"Oh, Kagome!" her mother's voice stopped her.

"Hai, Mama. I need to hurry. I'm already late because of that stupid date."

"On your dresser there's a bracelet. It will help you." Nodoka's grey-blue eyes were serious.

Kagome nodded. "Hai, Mama."

* * *

><p>Kagome shouldered the light blue bag on her shoulders. Taking a deep breath she climbed into the well, the beautiful swirls of blue and pink light danced around her form as she landed gracefully on the other side. As she looked up a strong, sword calloused hand reached out for her, smiling she accepted the proffered hand.<p>

Once she settled on her feet she greeted the man front of her. "Konichiwa, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Miko…" he turned. "Come the others are waiting."

"Hai!"

* * *

><p>Well she's back in the feudal era. And it only took…6 chapters. Anyway, review, they make both me and CrescentMelody very happy!<p>

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CrescentMelody

Japanese Terms:

Ore wa Ichijo Takuma. Hajimemashite= I'm Ichijo Takuma. This is the first time.

Boku wa Sasaki Hojo. Hajimemashite.= I'm Sasaki Hojo. This is the first time.

Nani ittai= What the hell

Boku no gārufurendo dekirudarou= Please be my girlfriend

Atashi wa anata no gārufurendo dekimasen= I can't be your girlfriend

Ore o yurushi= Forgive me

Honto ni arigatogozaimashita= Thank you very much.

Anata doitashimashite= You are welcome

Iie= No

Tadaima= I'm home

Okaerinasai= Welcome home

Kon'nichiwa= Hello

Gomen=Sorry

Nani=What


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: We claim no ownership over both of these manga/anime

Beta: The Lovely Kaykai-sama (Me!)

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Blood Secret<p>

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><p>Sesshoumaru sat underneath the shade of an old, gnarled tree as he watched Rin play some silly game with Jaken and Ah-Un. Rin was having the little toad youkai close his eyes and count to ten, while she hid in random places. Though he seemed reluctant, Sesshoumaru knew that the green youkai adored the child just as much as he. Taking his eyes off the girl briefly, he gazed at the sky. The bright blue color gave a striking resemblance to the eyes of the futuristic miko that slowly wound her way into his heart.<p>

_Kagome..._

The wind shifted and Sesshoumaru stood. "Rin. Jaken. We are leaving."

The girl's large doe brown eyes widened as a bright smile spread over her face. "Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Jaken made a sound in the back of his throat at the fact that the child beat him at responding to his lord's command and sulked as he gather his two-headed staff and followed quickly behind them, grabbing Ah-Un's reins as he did. "Sesshoumaru-sama, if I may. Where are we going exactly?"

"We are going to meet up with Inuyasha in Edo. The final battle is not too far off." _And to see if Kagome has returned._ a small smirk seemed to always cross his face when he thought of the miko from the future. As the small group continued its trek to the village that housed Inuyasha and his company, Sesshoumaru allowed his thoughts to wander.

_Higurashi Kagome, guardian and protector of the Shikon no tama…what are you to this, Sesshoumaru? Every time your name is mentioned my interest is immediately drawn to the subject. Have you bewitched this one? Whenever we speak, however little that is, I feel so connected to you. _They stopped so that Rin could forage some food, once she had done so they began again. _It is almost like how I care for Rin, no it is something deeper and it frustrates me to no end. Higurashi Kagome, I feel as if I know so much about you and yet…I want more…._

"Rin hopes that Kagome-nee-chan is there!" Rin chirped as she looked up at the tall Inu with another bright smile. "Don't you want to see her also, Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Jaken scoffed. "You insufferable child, of course Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't want to see that wretched miko. She is only needed for her assistance in the fight with Naraku!"

Sesshoumaru cut his amber-gold eyes at the toad. "Jaken…"

The green youkai froze and before he could blink, pain erupted throughout his tiny body and he was left behind twitching in pain. "Doshite, Sesshoumaru-sama…" _This happens every time I talk badly about that miko, now._

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru scented his hanyou brother before he heard him. So, he was prepared for the rash attack he was greeted with. The full Inu unsheathed Bakusaiga and locked blades with Inuyasha's Tessaiga, "Is this any way to greet your aniki?"<p>

"Shut the hell up! What do you want, kono yarou!"

The elder brother pushed Inuyasha away from his person and ran his fingers through his hair. "You incompetent fool. Have you not sensed it?"

The houshi and taijiya, hoping to help their hanyou companion, hopped off the nekomata and lowered the weapons when they realized that it was the Daiyoukai of the western lands. "Sesshoumaru-sama."

The inuyoukai regarded them with a slight incline of his head.

"Inuyasha put away your sword. Sesshoumaru-sama is not here to fight." Miroku told the Inu hanyou, who scoffed and sheathed Tessaiga.

A slight tugging at the sleeve of his haori made the hanyou look down to see the little girl that follows Sesshoumaru. "Keh! What do you want?"

She gave him a wide smile, her chocolate eyes sparkling with innocent admiration. "Konichiwa Inu-nii-chan! Rin had missed you. Did you miss Rin?" she bit her lips as amusement bubbled within her as she carefully watched Inuyasha reactions.

Two set of amber eyes widened at the girl's declaration. Inuyasha shifted his eyes from Rin's to his brother only to see that he had already regained his expressionless mask, observing his every movement. Swallowing dryly, since he knew how fiercely protective Inu are over their pack members, Inuyasha placed his hand gently on the child's head and ruffled her hair slightly. She let a huge smile appeared on her face as her head bow lightly.

_Inu-nii-chan is so kawaii! _She glanced back up to his face at the sound of his usual 'keh' and could not help but blossom another smile, showing her pearly white teeth.

"Keh." was the only thing that came to his mind. Their eyes clashed for a brief moment before Inuyasha looked away. Rin let out a cute giggle before she turned and greet the others, her feet light and bounce with airily joy.

"Konichiwa Sango-nee-chan!"

"Konbanwa, Rin-chan." the taijiya smiled down at the little girl.

Rin turned to the houshi and gave smile a wide, bright smile as well. "Konichiwa, Miroku-nii-chan!"

"Konichiwa, Rin-sama."

Inuyasha let out a low exhale and shoved his hands into the folds of his bright red haori, lifting his nose in the air, mumbling something about annoying brats and their questions. As he started to walk off the wind shifted and two familiar scents drifted up to his nose. One was the sweet floral scent he'd come to love meaning that Kagome had returned, but the other…smelled of death and graveyard soil… _Kikyou._

To say Inuyasha was torn was an understatement. He didn't know whether to keep his promise to Kagome and meet her at the well or go and retrieve his first love in preparation of the upcoming battle against Naraku. Closing his eyes he sent a mental apology to Kagome and bounded off in the direction Kikyou was in. Miroku, who sensed the magic of the well, shook his head in disappointment. Sango's eyes held a dark look in them before they brightened when Rin tugged on her kimono.

"Sesshoumaru-sama, how about we return to the village."

"Hn. Rin, Jaken, you two shall go with the taijiya and houshi. I have some business to attend to." the Daiyoukai had also scented the undead miko and her supposed reincarnation and still to this day wondered why his idiotic brother chose the dead one over the live one.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin grabbed Sango's hand and proceeded to follow the woman back to Edo, who promised that she could play with her kitsune friend, Shippou.

* * *

><p>The scent of the present day miko grew stronger with every step towards the dry well and Sesshoumaru found himself anticipating seeing her. When these strange feelings first touched his cold heart he briefly wondered if she had bewitched him, but quickly squashed it. Kagome was too pure to do such things; she had to remain so for she is the Guardian of the Shikon. Over time he watched her carefully, trying to figure at how she caused his pulse to raise slightly at the mere sight of her, how she managed to melt the ice that covered his heart with just the sound of her bell like laugh, how her scent sent his inner youkai howling with pleasure. She was an enigma that he wanted to solve, but his pride and honor wouldn't allow it.<p>

She was ningen and he was youkai. Two species that were never meant to be together and his half-brother was the perfect example. The strong powerful blood of youkai isn't meant to mix with the weaker blood of ningen. Hanyou are a disgrace to both of the races. If a hanyou's lives are threatened the youkai blood reacts to protect the body and slowly eats away at their ningen soul until they finally become a being that only knows how to kill and fight. Even if Sesshoumaru did admit to have feelings for the miko he would not place her in that predicament.

Always knowing that she couldn't have the children that she may want in the future. Knowing that her children were ticking time bombs that would explode at any given moment. No, Sesshoumaru would keep his feelings a secret and wished only for her happiness.

Brushing past a low hanging branch the Bone Eater's Well was in his sight and Kagome's powerful scent hit him hard and Sesshoumaru couldn't stop himself from breathing in deeply. Hearing a soft grunt from the well, he immediately walked over to the dry well and looked down; indeed she was there. Higurashi Kagome. Thrusting one clawed hand, he smiled faintly when her tiny hand wrapped around his own and he helped her up. The smile she graced him with was heartwarming and her voice was filled to brim with respect and admiration for him.

"Konichiwa, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Miko." he _almost_ had to force himself to turn away from her. "Come, the others are waiting."

"Hai!" she readjusted her grip on the light blue backpack and followed the tall inuyoukai back to the village. Kagome briefly wondered why it was Sesshoumaru escorting her back and not her hanyou companion until she felt a slight twinge of pain in her soul and she scoffed. _Of course. Kikyou is near._

Soon her thought traveled to her future high school, Cross Academy. _I wonder why this school is so isolated and only a select few students are accepted into the grounds? Cross Academy may be the biggest mystery and I want to be the one who solves it! Plus what is with the strange aura around Takuma-kun and his friends? Every time I send my reiki out to investigate it, I'm blocked by some kind of barrier. Ichijo Takuma…just what are you? _ Just the slight mentioning of his name had the sight of the blonde pestering in her mind. His deep jade green eyes focused and commanded her attention. She felt numb. There was a lack of feeling of her hands and then pulses of liquid fire.

Kagome glanced down at her hand, subconsciously not wanting to call attention to the tall being walking next to her. She took a deliberate breath and the sounds of her slightly accelerated pounding heart rung in her ears.

_Takuma..._

There was something else that followed that thought but she did not dare to continue. Something is happening, something that she did not know if she had the courage to venture toward.

Scenting her distress and not liking it one bit, Sesshoumaru called her out on it. "Miko, what ails you?"

"Ah!" she blinked innocently. "It's nothing for you to concern yourself with. Just some school problems."

Though he knew she was not telling him the whole truth, the Daiyoukai decided to not delve into her person matters. "Hn."

The two of them walked to Edo in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's presence. Soon they heard the unmistakable sound of Rin and Shippou's laughter as they played together. The kitsune immediately paused in his actions when he sensed the powerful youkai that could only belong to the lord of the western lands and the clean, pure scent of the woman he saw as his mother.

"Kaa-chan!"

"Shippou-chan!"

The auburn haired youkai ran to the young woman, jumping into her open arms and hugged her tightly. He let out a loud joyous laugh when she spun him around a few times before setting him down on his feet. Kagome looked up and spotted Rin gazing at her and Shippou, a slight sadden expression etched on her youthful face. A smile blossomed on her face as she called out for her.

"Rin-chan! Come over here. I missed you!"

The girl's bright chocolate eyes lit up as she rushed over to the older woman. "Kagome-nee-chan! Rin has missed you as well!"

"Miko. Inuyasha is here with the dead one."

Her ocean blue eyes watched the willowy figure of the one known to others as her incarnation. Her sharp analytic gaze was skillfully veiled behind an innocent doe like light. She searched within herself to and focused on her own essence, her soul. The hum of warmth and serenity of herself that she was so used to that she could hardly notice the familiarity. There was a connection, a string of humming energy, connected to the walking gollum.

_This is me, I am no one else._

Kagome pushed Rin behind her as the hanyou slowly drug his feet out of the forest, his hand clasped tightly with Kikyou's. She pressed her mouth in a thin line as the pair approached her and the children. When Inuyasha was within her line of view, Kagome saw that his ears were pressed against his skull in guilt. Her gaze, unsifting, clashed with vibrate red of the Fire rat kimono and ascended to guilt mask face that was haloed by wild and untamed silver-white hair.

_I feel nothing. So simple. There is no heartache. How did this came to be?_

"Kagome, I-"

She raised her hand. "Save it, Inuyasha. I told you before that I long realized that there was no room for me in your heart. Kikyou is the one you will always love. I refuse to be second place any longer." Kagome turned a bright smile down at the children. "How about we go color, ne?" There was a mist of sadness, but it was not caused by guilt of the situation. Kagome was saddened by the scarcity of her own feelings by the sight before her. Her supposed incarnation grasping the hand of the one she had thought she loved and yet she felt nothing.

As Kagome led the two children back to Kaede's hut, Inuyasha let out a low whine from the back of his throat. His attention was brought back to the woman at his side when she squeezed his hand gently.

"Inuyasha. It is okay. My reincarnation is needed only for the final battle and nothing else. You needn't worry yourself." Kikyou spoke gently to her love.

"Yeah, I guess." he never once took his eyes off Kagome's retreating form until she disappeared inside of the hut.

* * *

><p>The first onslaught of Naraku's attack came out of nowhere. Kagura, on her giant white feather, sent out her fujin no mai and destroyed many of the huts of the small village of Edo. Kagome rushed out of Kaede's hut, her long bow gripped tightly in her hands as she notched an arrow onto the bow string. She purified the youki filled air around the wind sorceress, allowing Sesshoumaru to attack her with his Bakusaiga.<p>

With Kagura unable to use her left arm, she flew off, saying that she only wished for her freedom. She had no desire to die for Naraku. The aforementioned hanyou turned youkai sent out many of his youkai puppets as Kanna, the void youkai, walked up slowly behind Kagome with her mirror poised in her hands.

Sango tossed her Hiraikotsu threw the air, destroying many of the youkai puppets that surrounded her and Miroku, cursing when once of them got past her defenses and sliced her cheek open. Miroku saw this and as he watched the blood drip down her face, rage filled him and he called out for everyone to stand back as he opened the Kazaana.

Inuyasha released his Kaze no Kizu, killing three youkai puppets and looked over to see Kikyou purifying one that was going to attack his unprotected back. He sent her a quick thanks before gauging in another fight with a puppet. Naraku cackled at the pitiful group that battle his youkai puppets. They had yet to realize his true goal. He knew that the hanyou would always believe that he was after Kikyou's life.

While that was true, Naraku also wanted to see Kagome in a pool of her own crimson life giving fluids. Those bright oceanic eyes glazed over in death, that pretty porcelain face pale with the blue tint of the recently deceased, her dark raven hair matted with dirt and blood. Oh, how he long to see that. A smirk crossed his face when he saw that Kanna was in position behind the miko and that her friends were too deeply engaged with the battle to notice. Putting the slightest pressure on the void youkai's heart, he gave her the signal.

Kagome heard a quiet shuffling behind her and shifted on her heels to spot the white haired detachment of Naraku's, Kanna, with her mirror already glowing. Before she could even raise her bow to defend, Kagome felt herself being tugged inside the mirror and darkness filled her vision.

Shippou saw this from inside the hut and began to weep for his mother as the sinister cackling of the vile kumo youkai, Naraku, filled his ears.

_Kaa-chan…_

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><p>Sorry for the long Hiatus with this chapter. CrescentMelody and I went through an idealess period, but hopefully that will come to an end quickly :)<p>

Review please!

Thank you.

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CrescentMelody


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: (know what? Go look at the previous chapters. I'm tired of saying this.)

Beta: The Lovely Kaykai-sama (Me!)

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><p>A Vampire Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret<p>

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><p>"<em>Shippou, honey, will you come here please?"<em>

_A small auburn haired kitsune stopped chasing after a young girl of the age of eight when his beloved mother called for him. After telling the girl that he would be back, the kit rushed off to meet his mother. "Kaa-chan!"_

_A raven haired woman kneeled down to scoop the speeding kitsune child into her arms, laughing when the momentum knocked her over. "My, my Shippou, you have grown since the last time."_

_Shippou merely let out a purr like growl when she stroked her fingers through his tail in a soothing manner. By Kami-sama, he loved this woman. She was so kind and caring and loving, just like his mother before hunters killed her._

_Tears began to collect in his eyes and he bit back a sob, but not before the woman hear it._

"_What's wrong sweetie? Why are you crying?" she asked her voice thick with concern._

_Shippou rubbed his eyes, ridding himself of the salty fluid that had managed to escape the confines of his eyelids. "Kore ni mo nai, Kaa-chan. I...Shippou is…he was reminded of his yoko haha-ue."_

_Her gentle smile turned into a grim frown. "I'm so sorry, baby. You must really miss her." her ocean blue eyes filled with tears as well._

"_Please don't cry Kaa-chan. Shippou does not like to see your sad crying face. I am happy to have you now. Shippou will not let us be separated. He will always protect Kaa-sama!" Shippou puffed his chest out proudly. "Hai, absolutely no one will take away my Haha-ue."_

_Her bell-like giggles filled his sense of hearing. "Hai, no one will take me from you."_

"_Ne, Kagome…"_

_Kagome blinked in confusion when the kit used her name instead of calling her 'Kaa-chan.' "Yes."_

_He stilled abruptly, his gaze fell to the earthen ground in a moment of pondering. Moments past and his head raised and gazed straight into Kagome's blue eyes, a look of determination and vulnerability he spoke. "This, Shippou, is youkai, Will Kagome still acknowledge him as her son? To be his mother in all ways even to share life blood."_

_Shippou's tone nearly broke in the ending of his questions causing Kagome heart to crake just so much. How could she say no? Even if he never brought the subject up, she had already acknowledged him as her own child long ago. "Of course, Shippou. I have thought of you as my son so long ago" her reply was only a whisper. She could not manage to bring her volume of voice any louder. Streams of tears flooded her eyes and two valleys of salt water marked her cheeks. "I love you so much, my child. My precious Shippou."_

_Shippou elfin ears twitched at her confession and a slow, bright smile spread over his lips. "Honto ni?"_

_Kagome nodded and hugged him close to her chest as tears up joy continued to flow down her redden face. "My boy, my child, my baby, my son, my kit, I will always love you. Forever."_

* * *

><p>The moment Kagome felt herself being tugged inside Kanna's mirror, darkness consumed her being. The young miko could have sworn that the dark abyss was tangible as her skin crawled with the feeling of being touched with unwanted hands. She was grateful to Miroku for he taught her how to control her reiki as she pushed it into her eyes to heighten her sight. Kagome took in a sharp intake of breath at what she saw.<p>

It was a much younger version of the same being they were attempting to destroy, Naraku. His short chin length black hair was a ratty mess and blood was smeared over his rounded cheeks. He was suspended by his arms, held up by many tangled strings of red wire. Kagome felt her heart call out for the child even though he was her sworn enemy. When she began to take a step toward him, a low growl stopped her.

"What are you doing here, Miko?" a dark silky voice bit out harshly.

The miko twisted around on her heels and came face to face with the older version of the child. She gasped when her airway was closed off as Naraku lashed out at her, wrapping his hand around her slender throat and raising her into the air.

"I don't know how you managed your way in here, but your death shall not be quick."

Kagome peeked a blue eye open as she lifted her small hands to the large one at her neck, clawing at it slightly. "N…Naraku, you are in pain, aren't you?"

The dark youkai snarled indigently. "What nonsense are you speaking, Miko? I, Naraku, have nothing to hurt about."

The dark haired woman smiled gently and pointed a finger at the young boy tangled in the red strings. "Not you. Him."

Naraku's eyes sought out whatever it was that the miko was pointing at, but found nothing. Irritation bubbled within him, his gaze snapped harshly back, seeking out the deep blue orbs of the miko.

"You think me to be a fool, Miko." he snarled, his clawed hand tightened around her neck, but he quickly loosened slightly when she hacked. He didn't want her end to come too swiftly.

Kagome's breath came out in harsh pants, grasping for the air that wouldn't come into her lungs. She wasn't sure how long his generosity would last. "Why should I lie to you, Naraku? I have no reason to." Her small hand on his wrist spread and incased the back of his hand, almost in a caress.

The movement caused his eyes to flicker almost questionly.

"What do you see, Miko?" his voice velvety and surprisingly soft. "What can you possibly see in this darkness?"

The softness in his tone caught her by surprise. Kagome felt her feet touch solid ground and her instinct told her to move, to get far away as she soon felt the hand that trapped her broke away, but she was unable to move.

He moved away from her and yet her heart beat faster.

"What can you possibly see?" the soft whisper caressed her ears as she watched as the two red orbs of his eyes veiled away behind closed lids.

He moved behind her, closing in on the miko. She felt his cool fingertips caressing the back of her hand. She shivered, from what she was not sure - fear maybe? She did not know. Soon Kagome felt her hand being laced with his. He stopped behind her but their bodies did not touch. She could feel his cool breath on the exposed skin of her neck. Kagome did not know what to think, her mind was an empty void. She did not dare to make a sound.

Then he leaned closer and she gasped as his right hand slid across her chin and jaw.

"What can you see?"

"I..."

"Show me. Open your eyes and show me."

"H..."

The question unfinished. She felt his cheek touch her.

"Show me what you see, what you can possibly see when all that I, Naraku, see is darkness."

Kagome felt her throat close up with emotion. Here she was standing almost intimately close to the man who has caused so much pain and suffering, but she couldn't bring herself to leave his hold. The pain his aura was emitting was keeping her in place. She wanted, no…needed to help this man find his way through the darkness.

The miko finally realized where she was. She was inside one of the dark corners of Naraku's human heart and the young version of Naraku was his past. Before he became the corrupted youkai he was now.

"Kagome, please show me what you see."

The dark haired girl gasped when he spoke her name. Her heart opened up to him and she revealed everything to him. From the red wires, to the bloody, raggedy child dressed in torn clothes, to how her heart yearned to help the child. Tears began to flow down her cheeks, leaving sticky wet trails in their wake.

"Naraku, I want to help him."

The aforementioned youkai was quiet. He didn't know how to respond to her. For once, the great and terrible Naraku was speechless. Not one coherent thought came to his mind. His carmine eyes narrowed. He didn't like feeling like this. He was about to pull away from the miko with a feral growl, but she had a tight grip on his hands.

"Miko, release me."

She shook her head. "No. Let me help you."

"I said, Release me!"

Kagome let go of one of his hands, but quickly turned and took hold of it once more. "Naraku, I am going to heal your tormented soul." she raised their clasped hands to her chest and her eyes slid shut.

Naraku snarled when their hands began to glow silver and he tried to yank his away from her, but was unable. The light spread up his arms and he felt the youki inside him bubble up, but it was not in a painful manner. It was…soothing. As the silver glow reached his shoulders he ceased his struggles and surrendered to the soothing feeling. Naraku released a contented sighed when the light touched the area above his heart.

The young boy tangled in the red strings was slowly being lowered to the ground as the wire began to untangle themselves. The blood on the child's face was cleaned off and his short dark hair became clean and neat. His torn clothing began to mend itself, coming to resemble a deep purple haori with gold stitching and matching hamakas. Slowly his eyes opened, revealing the same blood color as his older version. His mouth tilted up in a smile when Naraku looked over the young woman's shoulder at him and he parted his mouth,

"Thank her."

He faded away.

Naraku watched as the child faded away and a sense of being whole filled him. The darkness in his heart was leaving, his mind was clear of any evil thoughts. The once vile youkai was cleansed.

Naraku looked down at the little miko holding onto his hands, almost like a lover would and a smirk spread over his lips. _This small and fragile woman has freed me. Thank her, huh?_ He chuckled mentally.

He tightened his fingers over her slightly, just a light pressure so that he wouldn't startle her. _I'll thank her alright._ his smirk widened into a near grin as various ways he could tease the small woman near him traveled through his mind

A touch to his heart and hers skipped a beat. There was a bit of warmth in a smile on his lips when his youkai hearing picked up on that. He heard the faint sound of her breathing quickening and he knew that she was awakening from her trance. Looking down the tip of his nose, Naraku peered into her bright ocean colored eyes. A soft hum of youki lowly lit his hand and traveled to hers, fingertips touching his clothed chest. The slightly erratic beating of his heart thundered in his ears.

_A piece of myself._

"N...Naraku...?" she breathed out his name in the softest of whispers. As if she were afraid that if she raised her voice any louder he would lash out at her in anger. She receive no answer. Only a sly smirk.

He slid his hands down the back of her hand to her wrist and he led her hand up, trailing her fingers up his chest, to his collarbone, his strong muscled neck, his chiseled jaw, up to his lips. She was thoroughly surprised to find his skin soft and warm beneath her fingers.

Naraku placed the lightest, most chaste kiss; it was so soft, like a butterfly kiss to the tips of her fingers. A small shock traveled down her spine. Okay now, she knew that this wasn't the same Naraku she was battling a few hours ago. This man was kind, gentle…loving even.

_Gosh! What's a girl to do in a time like this? _She flushed red and Naraku found himself grinning at her and he wanted to do more to cause that flush. He leaned in close to her, his hand releasing her wrist in favor of tipping her face up and in a flash he captured her lips with his own.

Kagome squeaked in surprise, blushing from the roots of her hair down to her neck. Just as sudden as those soft lips covered her own, they were gone. She hadn't even realized that something entered her body. Kagome did not even notice that through that soft gentle kiss, Naraku transmitted a tiny bit of his youki to fuse with her reiki.

"Thank you," his lips slid across her cheek to her ear, where his warm breath fanned out and tickled her skin, "Ka-go-me." And he vanished.

The miko, still dazed from the small kiss, stood there for a few second to recollect her composure. She squeaked in embarrassment and raised her hands to her face, only then did she realize that there was some weight to her left hand. Opening her palm she saw them.

The Shikon no Tama and a ruby red pearl.

Kagome stared at the two orbs in her hands. She took no notice to the shift of space and scenery around her. She did not register the sounds of her name being called, not until her child's warm body was pressed against her chest.

"Shippou."

"What happened Kaa-sama?" his jade green eyes were filled to the brim with unshed tears.

Kagome's hand reflexively closed around the two objects, there was a slight tingling feeling before it disappeared. She had no time to find out what that was as great pain ignited in her making her register the closing distance between she and Kikyou.

"What do you two want?" she asked, her tone harsh even to her own ears.

"What the hell happened, Wench?" Inuyasha inquired, his gruffness only a façade to cover up his concern.

"Nothing that concerns you or Kikyou, Inuyasha." Kagome turned on her heels, dismissing them both. Her blue eyes scanned the battlefield and was mildly surprised to see that Kagura had returned and was engaged in battle with Kouga. She blinked. When had the wolf prince gotten here? How long was she gone?

She slid her eyes off the wind enchantress and wolf's fight over to the regal form of the proud Inu daiyoukai. His white haori was stained with blood, but Kagome knew better than to think that it was his. Sesshoumaru was killing off any stray youkai that were left behind with Bakusaiga.

A sharp pain. That was what Kagome felt ripping through her body and her arms tightened around Shippou's body. Her breath came out in harsh pants as she struggled to turn around. There she saw it, the humming string of energy that connected her to Kikyou. The undead miko must have noticed it for she was pulling on it.

Kikyou grinned. She has always known of the ki string that connected the piece of her soul to Kagome's much larger one. She was just waiting for the right time to grasp it. Her mud brown eyes connected with the dark blue ones of Kagome when the younger miko turned around and Kikyou smirk. She yanked on the string again, trying to rip the remainder of **her** soul back into her body. Once she had her soul back, Kikyou would regain her position as guardian of the Shikon no Tama and this time she will have Inuyasha at her side…as her mate.

She was a fool to want the hanyou to become human in the past. Once she was complete again, she would lower herself to become the hanyou's mate to seal that her life would be expanded by centuries. Kikyou pulled on the ki rope again.

Kagome cried out in pain as she felt her soul tried to leave her body. She gritted her teeth when the dead one gave another tug at their connection and she made up in her mind. This was the last straw! Lowering Shippou back to the ground, she nuzzled his cheek with her own and whispered for him to go back in the hut with Rin.

Shippou nodded and hurriedly ran back inside the small hut. Once Shippou was out of her sights, Kagome turned cold eyes on the undead miko. "This is the last straw, Kikyou. You have attempted to steal **my** soul for the last time." she bit her lip when the older miko pulled on their connection.

"You have no right to keep what is rightfully mine! Both the jewel and my soul! You are just a mere copy, a reincarnation!"

The younger miko felt her control snap and she felt heat flare up from her wrist. Looking down she saw the golden bracelet her father had left for her glowing an ethereal blue. Her mouth fell open slightly when a long dark ribbon slipped out of the band. Kagome reached for the cloth and felt it hard and sharpen in her hands.

Kagome watched in awe as the soft silky ribbon changed forms, becoming more blade-like and pointed. "Wow…" the astonishment in her eyes faded back into that icy unforgiving glare as she looked at Kikyou. "I am no one's copy! I am Higurashi Kagome, guardian of the Shikon no Tama!" with a warrior yell, the younger miko severed he humming string of blue ki, separating herself from Kikyou. The moment the sharpened edge of the cloth touched the string, a blinding white light enveloped the two women, shielding them completely from the others view.

The sharpened silk ribbon continue on its course and snaked around the energy strings at fast pace. The diamond hard tip touched the center-left of the dead miko's chest and pierced into her dead heart.

Instinctively, Kagome's hand took hold of the ribbon and pulled, jerking it back to her. An orb of blue energy emerged from Kikyou's chest and shot towards Kagome As it reached her the orb separated into six parts, one stayed hovering over her sternum while the other five radiated to her four limbs and head. The lights soon entered her body and disappeared under her skin leaving behind one single symbol on her forehead. The symbol glowed and a pulsation of power rippled through her body, healing all injuries to perfection.

Kagome opened her eyes when her feet touched the solid ground below. She lifted her hands to her face, gaping at that they were not scarred from holding the ribbon blade. _Why weren't my hands cut?_

"Kikyou!"

Inuyasha's loud brazen voice drug the miko from her thoughts and she looked over at the crumpled form of the older miko, watching the red clad inu hanyou rush to her side.

Kikyou screeched indignantly as she fell back onto the hard ground when Kagome snapped the ki string. "I am fine Inuyasha. You needn't worry about me." Kikyou brushed the concerned hanyou away from her as she rose to her feet, yanking her long bow off her back and taking aim at the living miko. "Die and return what you have taken from me!"

Kagome watched with narrow eyes as the dead one released her hama no ya at her. As the speeding arrow neared her the younger miko threw her body to the right, avoiding the reiki filled weapon. She heard Kikyou let out a aggravated cry. She barely had enough time to dodge the next hama no ya that was directed at her.

"Kagome-chan!"

"Kagome-sama!"

"Stay back! This is my battle." The miko called out to her friends when they started to run over to her.

Sango watched as her sisterly figure run and dodge the dead miko's reiki filled arrows with an almost graceful ease, as if she were dancing to an unheard song.

Kagome merely stood still as the undead woman released another arrow towards her. A voice seemed to echo through her ears, saying that she should remain as she was until the last second, and then lift her hands. The younger miko waited until the hama no ya was a few inches away from her chest before raising her hand, catching the arrow between her fingers. _Wow..._ that was the only thought that rang through her mind as she starred down in disbelief at the weapon in her fingertips.

A smirk soon formed on her lips and she closed her fist, effectively breaking the arrow from it's tip. She swung her hand to the side and sent the miko ki infused metal tip to a raging youkai to her right. Her eyes sparked with a satisfying glint as the sound of death registered in her ears seconds later

Kagome's sharp blue eyes stared into Kikyou's brown ones. "I have nothing of yours, leech."

Kikyou took a step back at the chilling tone the younger miko hand just used. Never before had she seen this...this...side of Kagome. The older woman thought her to be weak, not this powerful being before her. She took a sharp intake of breath when her eyes rested on the younger girl's forehead.

There, tattooed onto her flesh was a glittering blue six petal marking. It was similar to the marking Midoriko possessed before she died. It was a warrior miko's symbol. _No...No...When I obtain a fraction of her soul, I took that away from her. Unless..._ Kikyou raised her hands and released a shocked gasp. Her fingers were beginning to wrinkle. _She has taken back the life force I obtained._

"Such lies you've spoken." Kagome began slowly. "So many times you have repeated the same thing over and over; how I was your reincarnation, how weak I was, how undeserving I was to receive anything..." the younger miko elegantly weaved her hand through her long silken hair, the tone of her voice was so carefree as if talking about the weather.

She chuckled, "So many lies you've spoke while your slimy hands constantly stole away my life force..."she laughed scornfully. "And like the fool I am, I let you. I let you for the one thing that I so wished would one day return. I fell in love... How foolish I was to think only about others happiness."

Kagome muffled another small laugh. "No, I shouldn't say that I was foolish to think only of other's happiness, but for allowing myself to believe that I was in love with Inuyasha."

The aforementioned male stiffened at her cold words. This wasn't the Kagome he was used to seeing. No, he could easily feel the power emitting from her body, see the confidence in her stance. What just happened?

Kagome couldn't help herself; her hands covered her lips as she giggled. She was just so full with energy. She was so temped to swirl and start dancing. For the first time in a long time, she felt like herself and that alone made her so happy.

"Bitch!" the angry scream of Kikyou made her looked up just in time to dodge the crawling strike.

Kagome moved, flipping backwards twice. As she landed on her feet, her hand swung out in defense and she summoned her choice weapon. The ribbons shot out from her now-evolved bracelet and snaked around Kikyou's limbs, spreading her into a crucifix position.

"Let me go!"

Kagome could only give her a disbelieving look. "Really? Do you take me for a fool?"

"Bitch."

"Sorry, last time I checked, I wasn't a female dog."

Kikyou snarled at the younger girl. She was so close to having her wants fulfilled! She wasn't going to let this mere copy steal that away from her! The undead woman sent her reiki into her palms and grabbed hold of the ribbons circled around her wrists.

Kagome smirked when she saw this. "I wouldn't do that if I were you..."

She felt sharp pain as the sharp edges cut her palms. Kikyou screamed.

"Kikyou!" Inuyasha turned his angry amber eyes at the smirking female. "Let her go, wench!"

The miko shifted her eyes to the shouting hanyou and lifted her hand below her chin as she tilted her head boredly. "I'm sorry. Did you say something?" the word 'wench' stirred anger within her, but she wouldn't let that ingrate see it on her face.

Inuyasha looked taken aback. What did she just...? His confusion soon turned back into anger. "You heard me, wench. I said to let her go!"

Her dark blue eyes flashed silver with her newly acquired energy, but the moment a velvety soft voice echoed through her ears she stopped.

"Kagome."

She smiled, "May I borrow your sword, Sesshoumaru-sama?" she asked. "I think it's time the dead, remain dead."

The daiyoukai of the western lands raised a silver brow at her, but relinquished his sword to the woman.

"I won't let you!" Inuyasha ran but was stopped by a bubbled barrier of shimmering blue.

Kagome gave him a sweet smile as she accepted the Tensaiga. "You will not interfere Inuyasha. It is time for Kikyou to go back to the corners of whatever hell she came from. Besides, you want the rest of her soul back; well that part of her soul has been waiting impatiently for her in hell."

Inuyasha banged his fists onto the barrier in vain as she watched Kagome give his beloved a cruel smile.

"Ashes will return to ashes, Kikyou. Bye-bye" She charged, Tensaiga pulsing in her hands.

Kikyou opened her mouth to release one last shout, but dark blood-like fluid flowed down her chest as pain erupted from her chest. Looking down she saw the gleaming blade of the sword of life and death protruding from her body. "Curse you..."

Kagome could not help herself from leaving Kikyou one last word, "Sorry, I don't want your curse."

Kikyou let out a strangled choke as Kagome thrust the blade deeper into her chest until the sharp tip touched her non-beating heart. "Please, have mercy on me." she switched tactics to begging, hoping that the girl's weakness for other's happiness will be her undoing. "If I die, then Inuyasha will forever be heartbroken."

"Yeah? But if you live, Kami-sama will be so unhappy with me. Besides, those who ask for mercy, rarely ever get it." with those words said, the younger miko pressed Tensaiga through Kikyou cold heart. "Say hello to Shinigami-sama for me."

Kagome's words sounded cruel even to her ears, but she couldn't bring herself to feel any remorse for the woman she just sent back to the netherworld. Kikyou released a small scream as the blade pierced through her body and reemerged through her back. The older miko felt a rush of energy flow from her body and soon several glowing white orbs floated around the two women.

"Ashes shall return to ashes. A soul without a body will leave the world of the living. The time for judgment is here."

A portal open and like a black hole quickly sucked away what was Kikyou's soul.

"No! Kikyou!" Inuyasha strangled cry was slightly muffled by the barrier that was preventing him from rushing over and saving the woman he loved. His clawed hands beat on the shimmering blue orb as his demands to be let go were left to fall on deaf ears.

Kagome gazed dreamingly at the glowing orbs that had yet to disappear. Her hardened expression turned soft as she spoke to them gently. "What are you waiting for? You are free now."

The glowing orbs twinkled brightly before parting, making a path for a single glowing orb. The energy coming from it made swirls of blue, pink, and silver dance inside of it. Kagome smiled at the familiarity of this one, it belongs to her. This was the fraction of her soul that the witch Urasue stole from her to animate Kikyou's clay body. She spread her arms wide as the orb flew at her, melting back into her chest, and a feeling of being whole filled the miko.

Elation filled her to the rim. She could not help herself and hopped in place, hands over her lips as she giggled. She caught a glimpse of white and yellow and turned to see Sesshoumaru smiling softly. "Sesshoumaru-sama!" she ran and hugged the Lord tightly. "I'm so happy!"

Sesshoumaru made a soft noise in the back of his throat, but made no move to embrace the female back. If he did he wouldn't want her to leave his arms. Ever.

Rin watched with sad eyes from the sideline. She knew of Sesshoumaru's affection for the young miko. "Poor, Chichi-ue."

The full Inu took a moment to relish in the feeling of having her delicate body pressed so close to his, before placing his hand on her head. "Miko..."

"Haha-ue!"

"Shippou!" she ran to her son, picking up and swirling around in a small circle. Shippo soon joined in with her contagious laughter as Kagome showed kisses on his chubby cheeks.

A cheerful atmosphere blazed through the battlefield. Inuyasha watched from his confinement, though his eyes were glazed over with angry as he watched on, he could not help but to notice how truly right all this felt. His body was drained of all emotions as he continued to watch.

_Everything is over…_

-0-0-0

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CrescentMelody


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: (See previous chapter)

Beta: shadow101202

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem: Keeping a Bloody Secret<p>

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><p>Kagome stretched her body out in a cat-like motion, arching her back until it gave a satisfying crack. She gave a sigh of contentment and a lazy smile spread over her full lips. The miko could finally rest without having to worry about being attacked by youkai, bossed and pushed around by an overbearing hanyou, keeping a taijiya from killing the man she was in love with for being a lecher, or an undead miko trying to steal away her soul and life force. She was free.<p>

The wind picked up and blew her long bangs out of her face, revealing the sparkling blue six petal warrior miko symbol tattooed into her flesh. She closed her eyes and took a deep slow breath through her nose, savoring the serene feeling that coursed through her and let her senses be cloaked in the wonderful aroma of flowers around her. Kagome loved this time of the season. The sakura trees were in full bloom and the pink and white flowers always smelled heavenly. Her eyes opened in a half dazed state and she let her mind empty for a moment and just silently watched the playful dance of the petals. There was a group of concentrated dark blossoms that ignited a thought of Sesshoumaru from her voided mind before she was lost to sleep.

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><p><em>The raven haired miko found herself back in the Sengoku Jidai, but something was off. Her clothes felt soft and silken against her skin. Looking down she saw that she was dressed in a pretty white kimono with red honeycombs adoring the sleeves, the obi was a deep and dark crimson, and her feet were encased in black leather boots. If she didn't know any better, Kagome would have thought she was dressed in the daiyoukai of the west's haori.<em>

_She spun around and looked for a familiar sight, but was disappointed when nothing looked even remotely similar to anything she would have remembered. The lush green leaves of the trees rustled with the wind, the grass whispered with the voices of the insects, and the many different colored flowers danced. The scenery was so breathtakingly alluring. She looked back down at the sleeve of her kimono, studying the red honeycombs decorating it. Glancing left and right to make sure that she was alone, before Kagome raised it to her cheek, nuzzling the soft material slightly. She sighed._

"_You look appealing, Miko." claw tipped fingers slipped through her long dark hair, scratching her scalp soothingly. "This kimono suits you."_

_Kagome gasped at the sound of the deep tenor voice of the newcomer. She shifted on her heels and saw the shiny black metal chest plate, the blue and yellow sash, and the white haori and hamakas - both decorated with red honeycombs. When she saw his face, his name left her lips in a soft whisper. "Sesshoumaru..."_

_The daiyoukai gave her a small almost there smile and raised his right hand, revealing the item he held. It was a single red-magenta Zinnia and he tucked it in her hair, right behind her ear. "Now, you are complete." When those words left his lips, his arms wound around her lithe waist and pulled her close, resting her head on his shoulder. All was quiet for a long moment as Kagome tried to process what had just happened and Sesshoumaru waited for her in nearly endless patience trying to prolong the intimate contact with her._

"_Sesshoumaru...what...?" her voice quivered out in the softest of whisper. She tried to move back and search his face but his arms tightened around her. She caught a glimpse of his molten golden eyes before he hid them behind his magenta striped eyelids._

"_This one had lost his heart, dear Miko..."_

"_What?" 'What do you mean? Why are you telling me this? Why are you acting this way?'_

_Sesshoumaru pulled back and locked his heated yet soft eyes with hers. He gazed at her for the longest time and slowly his hand move to caress her left cheek with the back of his fingers. Kagome watched his lips move,"...To you."_

_He said it so softly that she almost mistook it as her imagination acting up in the heat of the moment. "What? Why? How?" the words escaped her lips out of her control,_

"_Because you are you."_

_Heavy tears fell down her cheeks. Shock, happiness, confusion and many more minor emotions all coursed within her simultaneously. Her breathing was labored as she tried to focus on stopping her tears._

"_I can't...breathe..." She told him. Her eyes still locked with his as her hands gripped tightly on the fabric of his haori. "I...you, why now? Why didn't you tell me sooner? Why did you wait until I was unable to reach you? You... you... PLAYER!" she sobbed into his chest as she was no longer able to look at his guilt-laced eyes. "Why did you come to me in this fake reality and make my heart quiver?" her voice was so soft even to her own ears. She could hear the erratic beating of his heart just under her ear as well as her own upbeat drumming heart within her. She heard him gasp ever so softly but it registered so buoyantly in her ears and she cried even harder. 'He loves me.'_

"_Please forgive this one. He has wanted to tell you for a long time, but his honor wouldn't allow it." Sesshoumaru whispered into her hair as his hands rubbed soothing circles on her back. "For you, little one, are ningen and I, Sesshoumaru, am youkai. Beings that are meant to never intermix."_

_Kagome lifted her face out of his chest to look up into his molten golden eyes. She has never noticed how bright and intense they looked; now, they shined almost as if they were the sun itself. "What are you talking about?"_

_The daiyoukai looked down at her for a moment, thinking of the proper thing to say to her. Should he tell her that he, even though he held a great amount of affection for her, won't tie her fate to him? He knew that she was meant to be a mother to many children - children that he couldn't provide for her, since his blood was too powerful. Any child that would come from their union would eventually lose their souls and become mindless killing machines. "Miko...no, Kagome, I, Sesshoumaru, holds affection for you, but he cannot partake in such actions. Youkai and ningen are not meant to have children together. A hanyou is an abomination - a disgrace to both races. The powerful blood of youkai will eventually devour the much weaker blood of ningen, thus the hanyou will lose their soul and become a being that only knows how to fight and kill."_

_The miko blinked as she took in this information Sesshoumaru provided to her. 'He didn't want to tell me, because he didn't was to condemned me to a life of knowing that if we were to mate and have children, that they would be ticking time bombs just waiting to explode.' she breathed out his name as she took hold of his face in her palms, her thumbs stroking the twin magenta stripes on his cheeks. "I wouldn't have cared. I had affection for you as well, but now I'm afraid..."_

"_What do you fear?"_

"_I...now I fear that my heart will never be at ease. I will always wonder what could have been between us."_

_Sesshoumaru tucked a stray lock of her hair back behind her ear. "This one didn't mean to make you feel such discomfort. He only wanted you to know of his feelings. It is hard. This heart no longer beats for life, but only survival. This one did not desire to burden you with these feelings, but selfish desire made it so that if you were left arrogant then this, Sesshoumaru's mind would perish." Sesshoumaru's eyes were now gleaming with unshed tears. "Suki dayo." _

_Heavy tears fell down Kagome's face like twins waterfalls. "You're cruel. How could you make me be subjected to this unchangeable situation? What could I have done with knowing that I now hold your heart? What about my heart?"_

"_This, Sesshoumaru, apologizes. He was selfish to only think of his heart and not of yours."_

_She pounded her fist on his chest and held on to the fabric of her kimono over her heart with another. "I don't want your apology. I want, I want... Curse this! I don't know what I want."_

"_Kagome..." his voice caused the miko to snap her eyes up to look into his. "I, Sesshoumaru, don't want you to be confused. He only wishes for you to be happy."_

"_Happy? I am happy; so very happy to know that you love me. I'm also feeling so many emotions that I don't even want to identify." Kagome gave him a small reassuring smile. "But, even so, you and I are separated by hundreds of years."_

_Sesshoumaru watched her with curiosity in his eyes. He could scent that she was telling the truth that she was happy to know of his feelings, but she was lying about being truly happy. "Why do you lie, little one? You are not truly happy. You still feel conflicted about something."_

_Conflicted? The word rang through Kagome's mind. She felt conflicted...but about what? Flashes of golden blonde hair and emerald green eyes appeared before her eyes. They were blurred at first, slowly coming into focus until an image of a beautiful young man dressed in a white uniform was seen. 'Takuma-kun? He's the reason why I'm conflicted?' She hadn't thought of him since before the final battle with Naraku._

_The burning feeling in her eyes intensified as more tears fell. "I'm so greedy." She sniffed. "Here I have your heart, this heart that doesn't waver. I know you will not love anyone else as you love me, and yet I..." she pounded on her heart, "This greedy heart of mine wants another." Her throat tightened into a painful hold but she forced herself to continue to speak. "I'm despicable."_

"_You are not despicable, Kagome. You are ningen. It is normal for such beings to feel as such. While it is true that you hold my heart, this one wants you to find happiness with another. My love for you is honorable." Sesshoumaru wiped away her tears with the back of his left hand._

"_I'm not worthy. Sesshoumaru, I feel dirty. This confliction, I hate it. I want to love you. I want to bare your children, to create life between us, but I know logically that will not result in a happy ending. I would condemn our children to a life of becoming mindless monsters just like you said. I want to; I want to love you so much."_

"_But you cannot."_

_She shook her head. "But I cannot. In this lifetime, our love cannot be."_

"_Let's make a vow then."_

"_Huh?" Confusion filled her eyes as her brows frowned._

"_In another life, let's be together."_

_The pounding of her heart drummed loudly in her ears. She felt like her body would explode within seconds. She saw a three second countdown of a ticking bomb within her mind and her breath was lost. Them? Together in another life? "Can we really?"_

_Sesshoumaru said nothing, but he gifted her with the most beautiful smile she had ever seen as he inclined his head forward. "Yes, in another life. If the Kamis allow it, Kagome, you and I, Sesshoumaru will be together. So until then, find your happiness with another."_

_She gave a shaky smile and more tears leaked from her eyes. "You make me such a crybaby, Sesshou. It feels like you're proposing to me. My heart keeps on beating out of rhythm and I feel like I would explode in a matter of seconds. You make me want to commit murder and suicide just so I can accelerate and skip this life just so I can hold you to your promise right now."_

_He frowned down at her. "You will do no such thing. I will not allow you to take such measures to let us be together. I want for you to stay safe, protected, and loved until I can take that place. So, promise me this, you will live this life to the fullest, love to the fullest, and regret nothing. Promise me."_

"_I...I...Sesshou, why are...wait! Did you just break out of your use of third person?" Kagome blurted out._

_The daiyoukai blinked, his eyes remaining closed and Kagome could feel his chest vibrating beneath her palms. Then she heard it. The smooth, deep, and throaty sounds of his chuckles. Her face flushed red with frustration. What was so funny? She merely stated an observation._

"_My apologies. You can be such an enigma. I dare say that I find this trait of yours adorable."_

"_Adorable." she whispered, mostly talking to herself. 'Next thing I know he will say the word 'kawaii!''_

_She was tempted to demand: 'Who are you and what have to done with my Sesshoumaru!' She could only look at him with an incredulous look on her face. Then it finally registered in her mind that he told her she was adorable and she flushed red. Now that she knew that he loved her he was making her blush like it was a normal thing to do. Kagome looked up at him to find him gazing down at her, an unreadable expression in his amber-gold eyes. "Sesshou, what are you...?"_

"_Kagome, may I?" he tilted his head down so that their foreheads touched. "Be graced with your kiss?"_

"_Uhm...I..." she bit her lips and lowered her eyes. What should she say? This would be her first kiss...wait. No. Second kiss... A voice inside her head told her to say yes, but another said that if she did she would only want more. The two voices echoed through her head, both trying to overlap the other until she shouted for both of them to cease. She made her decision. "Yes, Sesshou. You may."_

_No sooner than those words left her throat, firm yet petal soft lips descended upon her own. The heat of them searing her mouth as Sesshoumaru unleashed his passion, and she returned it with just as much. Kagome lifted up on her tip toes so that she could wrap her slender arms around his neck, trying to bring him as close to her as possible. Kami-sama, she wished to be with him, but as Fate would have it, this tender moment had to end. Sesshoumaru knew that she couldn't go any longer without air and broke away from her lush mouth with great reluctance._

"_Suki dayo, Kagome."_

"_Su…su…suki yo, Sesshoumaru." Kagome gave him a beautiful, loving smile as she hugged him tightly. The wind picked up then, blowing their hair so that the silver and raven locks were intertwined. In the back of her mind, Kagome felt that she was to wake soon. Tears threatened to fall from her eyes again but she forced it(them) back. She smiled, trying to tell him so much of her feelings in that one smile as she could. "In the next life, I promise to find you and never let you go again."_

"_I promise too, Koi."_

_Kagome felt herself being pulled away from Sesshoumaru and a pained whimper escaped her lips. She didn't want this moment to end, but it was to be. "Goodbye..." and she was yanked back into the realm of reality._

* * *

><p>Crystal blue eyes snapped open as the miko sat up abruptly. She grasped the left side of her chest, where her fast beating heart thundered. Her eyes slid back close as she tried to recall the dream, the words Sesshoumaru said to her, the kiss he bestowed to her lips and the warmth he shared with her made her hum in approval. <em>Sesshoumaru...I cannot wait until we can be together. I will uphold my promise to live life to the fullest.<em>

"Kagome? Is that you?" a vaguely familiar voice called to the miko. A voice she hasn't heard in such a long time. Then it happened. _Doki. _Her heart skipped a beat and liquid fire pulsed in her palms.

"Takuma-kun..." Seeing him here in this flower filled scenery made her imagination go wild. He looked like the prince of the summer court. His European features and bishounen appearance made him the perfect candidate for a Faery Prince.

"All he needs now is a crown." she thought, unconsciously speaking out loud.

"I'm sorry?" A confused look crossed his face and he tilted his head in wonder.

She could not help but to blush. _Kawaii. _She must have remained silent for too long as a frown now marred his features. "Ah, nothing, it's nothing." she laughed nervously.

He smiled charmingly at her. "I almost had mistaken you for a wood nymph, seeing you sleeping so peacefully among the flowers."

Kagome could feel her cheeks heat up at the small compliment. Takuma always seemed to know what to say to make her flush a bright red. She sighed wistfully as flashes of Sesshoumaru traveled through her mind briefly, but for some reason they were replaced with images of all the times she had seen Takuma. She looked up at him and saw that he hadn't changed a bit from the last time she saw him. His long golden bangs still fell over his eyes in a casual manner; his pale skin was flawless as ever, those deep emerald green eyes were still as enchanting and beautiful. He was still the same breathtakingly alluring young man she had saved a month ago.

She smiled. It was nice to know that something remained a constant after everything had happened. "It has been a while, Takuma-kun."

Her sudden change in demeanor surprised him. There was something about her smile that itched his curiosity. _She's different somehow. _A gust of wind blew between them and shifted her hair beautifully. Her long, dark bangs swayed and her symbol of power was displayed before his eyes. Those green orbs widened a fraction of a millimeter when they landed on the shimmering blue symbol. It was a six petal flower, and he has heard of such a marking only once. _She has become a warrior ._He watched as she moved her hand to catch her hair and shielded the warrior mark from his sight. Takuma then noticed that she was still on the ground, surrounded by the many flowers and a smile quirked at his lips.

"How rude of me." he offered her his hand. "Let me help you up."

She looked at his proffered hand and mentally compared it to a Greek statue in the museum she had seen once. It was too perfect. Her eyes moved back to his eyes, a look of thoughtfulness within the depth of her blue eyes as she placed her hand in his. His movements were perfectly measured as he pulled her up. Her feet stood just on the borderline of his personal space. Everything about him reminded her of a skilled predator. She quietly thanked him but her voice was monotone at best as she was lost in thought. As she began to move away from him her foot was caught in the root of a nearby tree and she stumbled.

Takuma saw this and swiftly wrapped his arms around her to prevent her from crashing down to the hard ground. "Kagome, you must be careful."

"Arigatou, for breaking my fall." The sound of her voice made him notice just how close she was.

Kagome was so close to him that he could smell her sweet floral scent. He could feel her back against his chest, and her steady heartbeat. Takuma felt an ache in his jaw as his fangs pressed on his gums while his vibrant green eyes flashed crimson. _No! I will not! _He forced himself to calm his bloodlust, but it was so very hard. He had smelled her sweet elixir once before and his hunger had been consuming him ever since. No matter how many blood tablets he'd take, he couldn't erase that sweet scent from his mind. It was forever branded in his memories.

Kagome had to force herself not to tense up at the sudden pulse of almost demonic aura behind her. Her mind jumbled multiple thoughts at high speed. She did not want to think at all. She did not want to know that Takuma-kun was not...human. She was left in a fork-road of indecision. Her life was most likely in danger, but he was a friend. Her death would bring her to Sesshoumaru, but she had promised to live out her life to the fullest. What should she do? After a moment's hesitation she made up her mind. Spreading out her reiki, Kagome would get to the bottom of this puzzle. But, something stopped her.

"_Kagome, what do you think you are doing?" a dark silky voice drawled._

_Wha? That sounded like..._

"_Yes, little Miko, it is I, Naraku. You just can't seem to keep yourself from trouble can you?"_

At first she was shocked that Naraku is somehow communicating with her, in her head, but the feeling of perplexity quickly dominated_. 'Did you just do sarcasm without the bite, Naraku?'_

"_You wound me. Has all that power you gained from slaying Kikyou caused you to forget?" he then provided her with the images of his cleansing, lingering on the picture of their kiss._

'_Alright! Alright! I remember, hentai!' she felt blood pool in her cheeks as her face began to heat up._

_His deep chuckles rumbled through her head. He knew that would make her blush. Naraku rather enjoyed seeing the redness on her face. "I saw that the Inu daiyoukai had confessed his feelings to you."_

'_Yeah, what about it?'_

"_I wonder if you know the significance of your vow." he said lightly, though she could see the serious look in his eyes. It was only then that she noticed a chibi-Naraku in front of her. Her eyes widen in shock. '_He's so Kawaii!'

_The tiny Naraku had large bright crimson eyes, long wavy black hair that was tied into a ponytail, and was wearing a deep purple haori trimmed in gold, much like the young Naraku she had saved. Tiny black wings protruded from his back as he flew around her in circles._

"_I heard that Miko. Please refrain from calling me 'Kawaii' because I can still..." the chibi-Naraku disappeared in a puff of smoke; "Transform into my true form." his voice caressed her ears._

"...gome? Kagome!"

Takuma's voice snapped her out of her chat with Naraku before she could see his face again. _Thank Kami-sama for Takuma-kun_. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

"I asked if you wanted me to escort you home."

"Ah. Hai, arigatou; although, do you mind if we stop by the tailor so I can pick up my new uniform?"

Takuma's blonde eyebrows lifted. "New uniform?"

"Hai. I sent in an application for Cross Academy and was accepted. I even got assigned as a School Perfect, whatever that means." She raised her left arm to look at her watch, missing the short flinch of Takuma's shoulder and a flash of hard glint of his eyes as he looked at her more closely.

"The tailor should have it ready by now. Shall we go then?" she looked up at him, an expecting look in her eyes.

He smiled down at her and gestured with his arm. "Lady's first."

Kagome raised a brow then shrugged and turned, walking ahead. "You're so foreign at times. You must not have been raised as a Nippon (Japanese) or something."

She heard his deep chuckles and looked back, halting in her steps for a moment as he caught up. "You truly are an interesting person. I can hardly predict what you will say next."

An uncharacterized smirk sneaked onto her lips. "But of course, Takuma-kun. Being predictable is boring. I must have a way to spice up such a dull life. Do you not agree?"

The mischievous sparkles in her eyes made laughter bubble from his chest. He leaned down until they were eye leveled, a smirk firmly on his face. "Careful there, Miss Kagome, or I might just steal you away and make you be the charm of my life."

Feeling playful, Kagome tilted her head just enough to have their lips a breath away from each other's. "Is that a promise?"

"Why, Miss Kagome, are you flirting with me?"

Her eyes sparkled more merrily making him catch a breath in his throat at how pretty she looked. She playfully tapped him lightly on the tip of his nose with her finger. "Maybe." She quickly sprung around and ran off, giggling all the while. She glanced back with a bright smile on her face, the wind from her motion combined with the natural windy air current of early spring made her hair float around her gracefully. "Catch me if you can, Takuma-kun!"

"Such a tempting offer, how could I refuse?"

He had expected an easy chase but she had surprised him yet again. Every time he got close enough to catch her, her movements became like a ribbon in the wind as she skillfully evaded his many reaches. This game of chase was quickly becoming his favorite pass time. He greatly enjoyed the sound of her joyful laughter and the alluring sight of her. He did not notice how his eyes flashed red for a tick of a second as he smiled warmly at her.

Then she vanished.

He did not have time to panic for moment later, he jumped!

"Caught you!"

Her voice was right at his ear while her thin arms were wrapped around his chest. The feeling of her warm and soft body on his back caused blood to pool on his cheeks.

"Wah? I was supposed to chase you, remember?"

"Nope, I decided that you were too slow so, I made you my prey instead. And it looks like you're caught!" She told him cheerfully. She giggled at the flabbergasted and shocked look on his face. "What will you do now, Takuma-kun? Does this make me your master?"

Takuma knew that she was just joking but...

"Takuma-kun," she stretched out his name in a pouting voice. "You must treat me to ice-cream now, because you lost." He felt her hold loosen and she was soon hugging his arm then slid her small hand on his larger one. Soon Takuma found himself being dragged by the petite girl to where he guess was the direction of an ice-cream parlor.

"Hey, I didn't agree to this!" He chastised though there was no heat behind his words. He was more bewildered and somewhat amused than anything else. His resolve withered away like flower petals to the wind when he saw the puppy-dog-eyes on her face when she turned to face him.

"Onegai, Takuma-kun." she begged, adding a cute pout for good measure. When he still didn't answer her, Kagome pulled her ultimate attack. Slowly, she began to move her lower lip until it quivered and she let out a small whine. "O-ne-gai..."

Takuma felt his resolve shatter when those words left her throat. She was just too cute to resist. Sighing, he grasped her tiny hand more firmly with his and flashed her that charming smile of his. "Chocolate or Vanilla?" his inhuman heart warmed when she squealed happily and began to tug him towards the nearest ice-cream parlor.

Kagome's heart was beating abnormally fast even though her face gave nothing away. She felt out of character in how she was acting but she was only trying to keep to her promise to Sesshoumaru. She also just wanted to act like a normal teenage girl, carefree and impulsive. She looked up at the young man next to her, still pondering about earlier. Why did Naraku stop her from finding out exactly what Takuma is?

She shrugged her shoulders. Since they were going to school together it didn't matter. Kagome knew that she would find out sooner or later. Soon they reached the parlor and she shivered slightly when the frigid air blew over her when Takuma opened the door for her. She giggled when he bowed and swept his arm out, prompting her to go first. _He really is such a gentleman._

"Hi! Welcome to Hikaru's Ice-cream Parlor!" the preppy cashier chirped, her eyes practically glued to Takuma. "My name is Hotoru, how may I help you?"

Not sure why she felt irritated, Kagome reached for Takuma's hand and pulled him to her side. She gave Hotoru one of her cold, fake smiles and she cheerfully said, "Hi. I'd like a double scoop pomegranate. Frozen yogurt, of course."

Hotoru frowned when the small, dark haired girl took hold of the handsome young man's hand possessively. When they walked in, she had hoped that they were either distant cousins or just friends. Either way, she would nab that guy. "Right. And what about you?" she beamed up at Takuma.

Takuma's eyes were carefully watching Kagome's expression. He was surprised to see her reaction to the girl's interest in him. He felt quite flattered and could not help but think that her frustrated expression was just adorable.

"Ah, excuse my rudeness; a scoop of taro frozen yogurt please." He spoke as he gave the girl a glance before his gaze fell back to Kagome.

The cashier gave a mental scream of frustration. She wrote down their orders and flashed them a smile and stated that she would get right on with their treats.

Once Hotoru had gone behind the server doors, Kagome had finally stopped looking irritated. What was that sudden flare of..._jealousy? No. It couldn't be. Could it?_

"Ne, Kagome?" Takuma voiced her name, trying to gain her attention.

She glanced up to face him and mentally froze at the amusement shining in his eyes. Then he smiled and she wanted to punch him. The reason why? That smile of his, that charming smile, made her blush because it said: "I just figured you out. You were jealous." And nobody wants people to figure out that they are jealous. She anticipated for him to admit what his grin was saying, but instead he said,

"Pomegranate. Is that your favorite flavor?"

"No, but I just felt like eating it because you're with me." she answered cryptically. Her mind provided her with tantalizing images of Takuma eating this legendary forbidden fruit, the tangy red juice from it dripping down his lips. She felt the telltale sign of a blush shimmering up on her cheeks and did her best to stop it. _Kagome's ecchi!_

He looked down at her, curiosity filling those bright green eyes of his. _Does she not know? _Perhaps it was just an impulse. He was about to question her further about why she chose that particular flavor, but the shrill high pitched voice of the cashier burst into the room.

"I'm back!" Hotoru waltzed back into the room carrying both of their frozen yogurts in her hands. She practically shoved Kagome's to her. "Here. A double scoop of pomegranate frozen yogurt."

Kagome eyed the cup suspiciously. She was getting a weird vibe form it. Deciding quickly to just trust her instinct, she accepted the cup and murmured a monotone, "Thank you."

The cashier merely gave her a small nod; before her entire demeanor changed as she gave Takuma what she hoped was a flirtatious smile. "And here's your taro frozen yogurt." glancing back at the young woman she said, "That'll be ¥250 for her and ¥125 for you." she dropped her voice to a low whisper.

Kagome felt that same flare of irritation bubble up inside her. Who does this girl think she is? Can't she see that Takuma was with her! She removed her hand from his in favor of hugging his arm tightly and smiling at Hotoru smugly. Yeah, she knew she was being childish, but right now she didn't care.

Takuma gave Kagome a confused look as he accepted his cup and paid for both of their treats. As soon as he was handed a receipt, Takuma felt a sense of deja vu as once again he was dragged by the hand and soon found himself out of the ice-cream parlor and down the street in a rushed pace.

No words were exchanged for a long while until Kagome finally slowed down.

"Daijobu desu ka, Kagome?" he asked softly.

"Gomen." She turned to face him, her face saddened.

"No, it's fine. Are you feeling alright?"

"Forgive me."

Confused, he was about to voice his question when he watched in disbelief as she threw her cup of untouched frozen yogurt backwards and into the sidewalk trashcan. It was not the fact that she managed to execute such a skilled move but that fact that she just threw away a treat that he brought her, only minutes ago, untouched.

"Why...?"

"It was tainted." Kagome whispered. "That, Hotoru, girl was willing to taint me to get to you. Such a disgusting flavor, so much jealousy and hatred. I will not lower myself to consume such filth."

Takuma's emerald eyes widened at her statement and briefly wondered how she knew such, but then he remembered the glittering warrior insignia tattooed on the flesh of her forehead. How could he almost forget that this pretty young girl was a skilled warrior, one that has been accepted as Cross Academy's School Perfect. He gave a soft sigh; she would soon learn his dark and bloody secret. Maybe...maybe, he should just tell her?

"...kuma-kun? Takuma-kun!"

The blonde shook his head lightly. "Um...hai? What is it?"

"We're almost at the tailor's." Kagome looked up at him, slight worry filling her cobalt eyes. "You were in deep thought. Is something the matter?"

He was about to answer when he noticed how close their faces were. He reflexively took a deep breath to calm himself but immediately regretted it when her intoxicating scent filled him. Takuma locked his jaw closed and clenched his eyes shut tightly as his bloodlust tried to consume him. His grip tightened on his cup of frozen yogurt until thin spider web like cracks formed in the plastic. He heard Kagome gasp in pain and he knew that he was crushing her hand with his. So, he immediately released her.

"Takuma-kun, what...?" Kagome froze when his normally vibrant green eyes flashed crimson. A remnant of past memory of Inuyasha's beast surfaced within the ocean of her mind. She blamed it on impulse and spur of the moment as she placed her hands on his cheeks, leaning up and pressed her lips to his. She vaguely heard the sound of his cup hitting the sidewalk's pavement.

To say Takuma was surprised was an understatement. One minute she was looking up at him with worry in her dark ocean blue eyes, next minute his bloodlust was threatening to consume him, and now Kagome was kissing him. _Will this girl ever cease to surprise me? _Takuma was about to respond to her kiss when a potent fume of intoxicating power entered him. His knees buckled and he felt drunk. His arms circled around her and he pulled her close, hanging on to her like a lifeline in a raging sea storm. His lips moved gently against hers greatly contrasting to the chaotic turmoil inside him. All too soon, the kiss ended, leaving the two teens breathless.

"Kagome." he breathed out, his voice was honey sweet and one of his hand cupped her cheek as his thumb brushed her plump lower lip. "Be mine." He gazed into her silver-blue orbs, his eyes filled with desire, hope and budding affection. She felt the arm around her waist tighten and she was pulled closer possessively.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach and her heart jumped happily. Kagome felt more blood pool in her cheeks and she suddenly felt bashful. She smiled shyly and averted her gaze before peeking under her lashes and said, "Only if you'll be mine, Takuma-kun." her eyes met his as she spoke his name. The heavenly smile he gifted her made her drown in happiness and she squealed, immediately pouncing on him with enough force to make him fall back, if he were human.

The tall blonde immediately tightened his hold around her when she jumped. He took her by surprise when he lifted her off her feet and twirled them around in a small circle. Kagome tossed her head back as her cheerful laughter spilled forth and soon Takuma's own deep chuckles were intermixed with hers. He stopped spinning suddenly and placed her back on her feet.

"I'm happy." Kagome whispered, more to herself.

"As long as you are happy, then so am I." Takuma brushed his lips over her temple gently.

The miko rested her head against his chest and gave a contented sigh. Maybe she could live this life to the fullest...with Takuma by her side. _Sesshou, I will keep my promise and be happy...with Takuma..._

Takuma lifted his right arm, pulling up his sleeve, and glanced at his watch. "Ne, Kagome, shouldn't we be getting your uniform from the tailor's?"

"Hm." She nodded, though did not move. She was tempted to get him to carry her there, but she didn't want him to get the idea that she was lazy. Kagome closed her eyes as she had a mental battle with herself_. Should I ask him or shouldn't I?_

"_Just ask him already!" Naraku snapped._

Kagome jumped slightly at the sound of Naraku's voice. She had forgotten he could communicate with her in her mind, thus he could hear her thoughts. Wait a second?

'_Naraku? Did...did you see that image I conjured up in the ice-cream parlor?'_

"_You mean this one?" the chibi-Naraku held up a picture of Takuma biting into a pomegranate, juice sliding down his lips to his chin._

'_Ack!'_

"...gome, Kagome, we're here." Takuma's voice called her back to reality and saved her from feeling drowned in eternal embarrassment. Her face heated up like raising temperature on a thermometer when she noticed that she was held princess style in his arms just outside the tailor's shop. She squeaked and jumped from his arms and covered her face.

"Did you carry me all the way here?" as soon as the words left her mouth, she mentally hit herself. _What kind of stupid question is that, Kagome! Of course he carried you all the way here. Baka, baka, baka!_

The alluring sounds of his chuckles only furthered her embarrassment and she groaned. She peeked from behind her parted fingers and hissed, "Takuma-kun, you are so lucky that I like you right now, or I would've hit you."

That only made him laugh harder as he opened the door for her, "After you, Kagome-hime."

"I'm warning you Takuma-kun." Kagome narrowed her eyes at him, seeing the playfulness in his jade colored eyes.

"Yes, milady...ow!" Takuma wrapped an arm around his stomach when Kagome smacked him in the chest, "That kind of hurt."

Kagome walked into the shop, a satisfied smirk nestled on her lips. "It was meant to. I gave you a fair warning."

Takuma sighed. He couldn't deny it. She did warn him twice. Once she had passed by the door, he followed in suit.

The raven haired woman went up to the counter and tapped her hand on the small bell on the desk.

"Ah, Kagome-chan; welcome. I see you brought a friend." She gave Takuma a short glance before turning her gaze back to the young girl. "How are you dear?" she asked, kindly.

"Good afternoon, Mei-san. I'm having a wonderful day, thank you for asking. How was your day? Oh, and before I forget," she turned to Takuma and gently took hold of his hand with a slight pause in hesitation. "This is Takuma-kun."

Mei smiled at the adoring tone Kagome used when she spoke Takuma's name.

"How do you do, madam? My name is Ichijou Takuma." He gave her a small bow as he did not want to leave Kagome's side and thought it inconsiderate to kiss the woman's hand in front of Kagome even if it was the standard greeting he was brought up with.

"Oh my, such well-mannered children and how beautiful you two are together. I must say that you've made my day." she giggled behind her hands, eyes shining with joy. She was pleasantly surprised by them especially because she found that they made such a cute couple.

"Arigatou." Kagome murmured shyly, squeezing Takuma's hand while he only smiled and pulled her closer. He finally noticed how he did not go into bloodlust at her close proximity anymore, but decided to push that thought away for later.

Mei watched fondly at the two until she suddenly remembered what Kagome was here for and excused herself to go to get Kagome's order. She exited behind a door that was located behind the registry area.

"It seemed like you know her quite well, Kagome. Do you come here often?"

"Hm? Oh, she's a family friend, a friend of my mother's. She used to babysit me when I was younger. She makes killer cupcakes." Kagome closed her eyes and hummed as she tried to remember the sweet taste of Mei's homemade chocolate hazelnut cupcakes. "They were always so yummy."

Takuma watched as Kagome talked about how delicious the older woman's baking was with great attention, not so much as to what she said but he felt a great sense of fondness just simply watching her. The many expressions she transited through throughout her speech were very entertaining. He thought it was quite cute.

"Do you bake, Kagome?" Takuma instantly regretted asking the question as Kagome's face fell.

"Not really, I can only bake if I use cake mix; which really doesn't make sense to me." She huffed. "One of these days though..." she trailed off with an ultra-cute determined face then turned to Takuma and gave him her puppy dog eyes level 3."You'll volunteer to be my taster, right?"

Her doe jeweled eyes shot right through his heart. He wrapped an arm around her slim waist, pulling her close while his free hand caressed her cheek with the back of his long fingers. "Kagome." He whispered her name lovingly. He leaned down and kissed her cheek slowly his eyes half lid. He pulled back and smiled sweetly. "I would have anything you give me."

Kagome was sure her heart would explode and she would die. She felt so numb and yet so hypersensitive in his arms. It was hard to breathe. She...

"Kagome dear, would you like to try the uniform on before you leave?"

Mei's voice called Kagome's attention and she turned her head in time to see the older woman come out behind the door. She tried her hardest to calm down her flushed face. Turning around completely, though not out of Takuma's hold, she nodded.

"Hai, Mei-san." Taking Takuma's hand she walked up to the woman and took the folded garments. "Arigatou." she thanked the woman then led the blonde to the waiting area just outside the fitting room and set him down on a vacant armchair. "Wait for me okay?"

"Ah, of course, Hime-sama. Always." He brought their still linked hands up to his lips and kissed her knuckles. He smirked when she blushed before letting her go, chuckling when she gave him a glare for his comment.

Takuma made himself comfortable on the plush armchair and let his mind wander off to all that had happened in that last few hours. The moment he caught sight of her in that floral meadow in the park, he knew his day would not be boring. The sight of her had caught him off guard at first. His mind had unconsciously conjured up the fairytale of Sleeping Beauty. He chuckled bemusedly at the thought. It was really too bad that he was no Prince Charming. He was more of a Dark prince if he was royalty. He stood outside the perimeter for a long while and just gazed at her. If he was an artist he would surely paint this very image of her and preserve all of the feelings she created within him into that painting. Sometime along his strange thoughts he had made his way to her side.

"Takuma-kun..." Kagome's soft voice called him back to reality and he looked up to see her fumbling with the red collar tie. The cute face she made as she tried to tie the bow knot caused him to chuckle in amusement. He stood up and made his way to her.

"Allow me, Hime-sama."

Kagome blushed at how close he stood before her, almost toe to toe, his face inches from hers. Her hands tingled pleasantly from the light brush of his fingertips when he took the ribbon from her hold. "Arigatou."

His smile caused her heartbeat to pick up again, not that she minded. Wonderful flutters of butterflies bubbled within her abdomen caused happiness to ripple through her body. She was sure that her aura must be dancing jubilantly. Her heart only picked up more when he gently took her hand and twirled her. When she faced him again, she gave him an expectant look, waiting eagerly for his opinion.

"Hijo ni kirei." (very pretty) he said softly, his voice was like sweet flower nectar.

Mei watched almost hungrily from the sideline. Her eyes were glued on the scene and her face flushed. She also had a digital camera in her hands and had been taking photo after photo of the lovely scene that she would be sure to share with her longtime friend, Nodoka, Kagome's mother. She sighed dreamily.

_Ah, young love._

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><p>Hope you liked it.<p>

~The Lovely Kaykai-sama

~CrescentMelody


	10. Chapter 10

Okay, first off, CrescentMelody and I would like to apologize for such a long hiatus on this story. It's been way too long since we've last updated and we're sorry. We hope this chapter makes up for it

Disclaimer: (See previous chapters)

Beta: Kirei Ai Tenshi (Me, of course)

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><p>A Vampire's Ocean Gem:<p>

Keeping A Bloody Secret

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><p>Mei snapped a few more pictures with the digital camera, taking several images of the scene before her. She took a couple of seconds to admire the young couple and quickly hid the device behind her back when they turned to face her. "My, my Kagome-chan. The dark coloring of the uniform makes your skin glow."<p>

Takuma nodded in agreement and twirled Kagome around once more, making the dark skirt fly up slightly. The black coloring of the clothes really did make her pale skin glow and it look absolutely wonderful on her. She was just so beautiful and he was lucky to have such a creature as his. The sound of her pounding heart was music to his ears and when she blushed it was a sight for sore eyes.

"Ano...Takuma-kun? Could you stop spinning me? I'm getting a little dizzy." Kagome chuckled even though her head was swimming from being spun around so many times. "Arigatou, Mei-san. You did a wonderful job." the warrior miko bowed in respect, but the older woman waved it off and pulled her into a hug. The younger girl smiled and returned the embrace.

Mei grinned at Kagome when she saw that after she released her, she moved back to her place beside Takuma. Her dark oak eyes gleamed with a mischievous light and she could not hold back her comment. "Kagome-chan, Takuma-chan, you two make a fine-looking couple." the chiming of the desk bell stopped her from embarrassing the couple any longer. Mentally cursing the customer for ruining her fun, Mei dismissed herself, stating that she will return in a moment.

Takuma was the first to recover from their embarrassment, and he looked down at Kagome. He smiled when he saw the rose hue lighting up her beautiful face. "Why Kagome-hime, are you being shy?" his arm snaked around her waist as he tugged close to him possessively. "I see no reason for it. You are mine now, after all."

"Takuma-kun..." Kagome placed her hand on his chest and felt that his heart was beating at an alarmingly slow rate, but her fuzzled mind refused to work since her own drumming heart was beating far too loud. Her arctic blue eyes locked with his vibrant emerald gaze and the longer she stared, the more she wanted. She broke away from the hypnotic-like trance and buried her face in his chest, her cheeks aflamed. _'Why does he make me feel like this?'_

"Kagome...look at me, please?" his slim fingers slipped through her long raven locks and his voice sounded in her ears. Somewhere, vaguely, in the back of his mind he wondered why he no longer felt the need to consume her blood. It was as if his bloodlust for her had disappeared around the time she kissed him. _'Was it...the kiss? My Kagome...such capability...wait? My Kagome?'_ he did not delve further into the thought since the weight on his chest lifted, signalling that the miko raised her head, and his name being said in the softest of whispers.

"Takuma-kun, what is it you want?" Kagome did as he requested and looked at him.

He simply adored the rosy blush on her cheeks. She gazed at him and he can see his own reflection in her clear blue eyes. _'Lovely.'_

She thought him to be good-looking when she first met him, but now that he was hers, she noticed every little detail about him. His eyes had the slightest yellow sparkle to them, there was a tiny dimple in his chin, and when he smiled she noticed that his canines were slightly sharper than what they were supposed to be. She gasped when Takuma lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, his thumb resting on her full lower lip.

The blond felt a sudden urge to take claim of those petal soft lips that he only had the privilege to kiss once before and at the moment he was greedy for more. "May...I?" Kami-sama he was beginning to sound like a little child. "What I mean is..." Great! Now he was faltering in his speech! He growled low in his chest. He was a vampire. A creature of seduction. Everything about him will attract a female to him, but here he was. Trying to ask for a kiss for the girl he'd come to like so much.

Kagome giggled at the tall male. She knew what he wanted, but craved to hear the words coming from his throat. She wanted him to ask for it. Ask for the kiss. Teasingly, she tilted her head and lowered her eyelids. "What are you trying to say?"

She was purposely tempting him, it was an innocent seduction on her part. It was not like she has personal experience on the art. Kami-sama he want to kiss her. He paused at the shuffling of feet in the other room and the hushed voice of Mei talking to her customer. Takuma figured that they only had a few minutes before the tailor returns. "Hime-sama...may I kiss you?"

The miko grinned. "Yes, you may...my fair prince."

No sooner than when she spoke those words, Takuma dipped his head and claimed her mouth with his own, relishing in the softness of her lips. Kagome smiled into the kiss and wrapped her slender arms around his neck, interlocking her fingers, and pulled him closer. She felt him tighten his hold on her waist and held her as if he did not want to let go. Takuma briefly wondered if Kagome will let him do this more often...possibly even while they were in school.

_'Because, I could get used to this.'_ He could hear his own deep chuckles _echoing_ within his mind but decided to focus on the more pleasurable activity at the moment. He threaded his hand in her silky dark hair and gently pulled on it, tilting her head back further, wanting to deepen the kiss... But then there was a flash of white light!

Kagome snapped her head back, breaking away from Takuma, and looked in horror to the right. "Mei-san!" she whined as she spotted the camera in the woman's hand and the sneaky smile that adored her lips. Her face was a bright red as she pulled herself out of Takuma's hold.

Takuma was forced to reigned back his annoyance at the woman. _'Seriously, can her timing be worst?!'_

He put on a smile as he turned to the woman, trying his best to keep the twitch from his left brow. "Saa, Mei-san. Do you think I can get a copy?" His cheerful tone caught her off guard evident by the look on her face. He had to hide a grin. The message was successfully received on her part, he held no shame on his action. Kagome was his girl after all. Mei's nod was rewarded with his charming social smile. Takuma spoke softly to his stunned girl and ushered her to change with a gentle push and a sweet kiss on the girl's cheek and promptly settled himself on the plush cushion of the armchair. Takuma simply waved to the frigidly standing woman as she stood frozen in place._ 'Humans are weird.'_ And busied himself leafing through a sport magazine. _'Let's see what's the latest news in the tennis world are.'_

* * *

><p>Kagome lend against the wooden door of the changing room, her heart still pounding in her chest. Kami-sama, did he just...? Takuma-kun was acting...! Her face heated up, turning an even deeper shade of red. A deep rumbling chuckle echoed through her head and she scowled.<p>

_'May I ask what the hell you find so amusing, Naraku?'_

_"I find many things amusing, my dear Miko," he chuckled. _

_'Oh? And that would be?'_

_"Kukuku, oh sweet girl; leaving you guessing is half the fun."_

_Kagome huffed. 'Can't you give me a hint even?'_

_"A hint you say?" Kagome swore she could feel Naraku somehow playing with her hair._

_"Hn."_

_"Kukuku, that dog must be rubbing off on you." He chuckled again. "I admit, I do find your modern idioms easy on my tongue; then again, you, yourself, do have your moments kukuku."_

_'You seems to be enjoying yourself, Naraku. Does my mind makes a good home?'_

_"Why Miko, are you hinting that you will make practice of inviting spirits in your mind?"_

_Kagome shivered. 'Ugh, don't say such things. Thanks a lot, Naraku. Now I'm all grossed out.'_

_"You're very welcome, my dear. kukuku"_

_Kagome sighed. 'You're enjoying yourself way too much.'_

_"Kukuku."_

_"Can you be any more annoying?!"_

A sharp brief knock on the door broke Kagome away from her mental conversation with the dark youkai and the masculine voice of her boyfriend ebbed through the wood, "Kagome-hime, you're taking far too long."

Kagome gasped. "Gomen, Takuma-kun! I'll be right out!" she quickly changed out of the dark uniform and slipped back into her regular clothing. As she exited the changing room, her boyfriend was there to quickly grasp her hand.

"Shall we go, Hime-sama?"

The warmth of his hand transferred to Kagome's and she felt numbed for a brief second, lost for words as she stared into his deep green eyes. A quick squeeze brought her out of her hypnotic-like trance. "Oh! Uhm...yeah."

The young couple walked from the back of the tailor shop to the front where they spotted Mei talking to someone, a woman judging from the soft voice, and Takuma froze in his tracks. She looked familiar. Those long, long strawberry blonde locks, that soft, almost child-like voice, her pale white skin. It could not be?

The woman turned around, the act almost in slow-motion, and revealed a pretty face with glittering navy blue eyes and a polite smile. Her hands folded together, resting against her lap and she bowed. "Konichiwa, watashi wa Sharabuki Sara. (Good Afternoon, I'm Sara Sharabuki.)"

And it was. Takuma felt his face fall as his eyes widened to the point where they almost bulged from their sockets and his jaw went agape. Sweat began to bead at his forehead, a few of the salty liquid dripped down his brow, sliding to his cheek, and finally his chin where it dangled before it fell to the ground. He unconsciously tucked Kagome into his side as he swallowed dryly and quickly schooled his face back. "Sara-san..."

Kagome looked up at her boyfriend and back to the beautiful woman who was slowly rising out of her polite bow. There was something vaguely and eerily familiar about this newcomer. The way her red-blonde hair swayed in an unblowing wind, and there was her dark, dark blue eyes seemed to try to pierce right through her very soul...She was the woman from Wacdonald's!

Kagome felt numb. She unconsciously leaned her head on Takuma's shoulder and seemingly relaxed, her eyes held a mysterious light._ 'I don't like her.'_ she thought, her voice echoed eerily inside her mind. Within the confines of her consciousness, the miko felt Naraku stirring restlessly, but the dark youkai remained silent. Unknown to her, her deep blue eyes flashed red for a moment and the back of her hair seemed rise and glow with an eerie light like dark matter in space. Only the boy holding her hand and being so close to her felt the rise in her powers, a small bit of unknown yet comforting power was racing through her blood. The ruby-red jewel of her dangling earring shined like Mars in the night sky.

The shimmering six petal symbol upon her forehead reacted to the power coursing through her veins shined with an ethereal blue light that seemed to bathe the blonde haired woman.

Sara Sharabuki mentally hissed at the power the young woman was emitting. The girl was not this strong when she first set her sights on her. How has she gained so much strength in such a short amount of time? Her pleasant features twisted into a mocking look as she peeled her lips back into a smile. "May I have your name, Ojou-san?"

_'What an ugly smile.'_ Kagome thought. Though she only tilted her head slightly in acknowledgment to what the woman said.

"You needn't know her name, Sara-san." Takuma's voice broke through the thick tension.

Navy blue eyes turned and locked with emerald-green as a dainty hand came up to cover her lips. "Oh, Takuma-chan. I didn't notice you."

_'What a pathetic lie'_ Kagome sneered before scoffing mentally. She tugged at Takuma's hand and when he looked down at her, she gave him a heart warming smile. "Takuma-kun, walk me home?"

The golden-haired vampire watched his girl carefully, taking in the glow of her earrings and the faint shimmer beneath her bangs. '_She is more than a warrior...'_ He returned her smile with one of his own charming smiles although he mentally smirked at her as she played her I_'m cute and innocent_ card on him. He did have to commend her for a job well done. _'She's adorable.'_ Lifting her hand to press a butterfly like kiss to the back of it, Takuma replied, "Mochiron, ore no hime.(Of course, my princess.)"

His expression changed dramatically as he turned back to the blonde female. Eyes stoic and face stoned "Excuse us, Sara-san."

As the couple bid Mei a pleasant farewell and brushed past the strawberry blonde woman, she swung her hand out and gripped Kagome's arm in a powerful grip and leaned in to whisper,

_"I will have you and Takuma-chan in my possession, Ohime-sama."_

Kagome jerked her arm away from the woman. "I don't know you, so please refrain from touching me." her eyes flashed both silver and crimson with her combined powers, the two swirling around in her irises.

The blonde Pureblood hissed as the skin of her palm burned and her inhuman heart skipped several beats in fear as a holographic shadow shimmered behind the young human girl. Bloody red eyes glowed in an ominous light. Wavy black hair flowed like a dark silk halo and outlined by the bleeding light of the setting sun.

_"Don't touch what is mine."_ A voice hissed only for Sara's ears to hear.

A shadow tendril shot into her chest and she nearly collapsed in pain, but her pride as a Pureblood would not allow it. She stood her ground firmly, though her knees were buckling as another shadowy tendril wrapped around her throat, but never tightening just resting there and taunting her to try to touch the miko again. Her navy blue eyes watched the retreating couple, if she had looked at them a second later she would have missed the small almost devilish smirk the young woman sent at her. _'You've not seen the last of me.'_

_-0-0-0_

* * *

><p><em>I hear silence in a noisy place.<em>

_I found solitude in the crowd._

_I felt warmth from an un-beating heart._

_I felt freedom in your embrace._

_My eyes open and I see so much more now, being beside you._

Kagome eyes unveiled slowly and took in the slightly tilted world from her place on Takuma's shoulder. The heels of their shoes clinked in union as they walked at a leisure pace in the crowded walkway of the late Tokyo afternoon.

_'So many types of people. So many faces, their expression are so colorful and diverse. The stories that they each have...makes me so curious.'_

She exhaled a heavy breath and unconsciously rubbed her cheeks against the arm that she had in her grasp as she looked at the many modern day people of her city. _'I see the constructed masks of history but...what will the mask look like polished by Future?'_ She pondered on the thought as she gazed at yet another person with brown eyes and peachy skin.

_'I have let go the hand of History. I walk on the path of Present. What will Future do with me?'_ She sighed as her heart sped up at the thought of her vow to Sesshoumaru, but that was not until this lifetime was over. Her eyes slid shut and her arms wrapped tighter around the boy walking next to her, almost wounding around the appendage twice while her steps halted. Her head tilted up to the sky_ 'I ask your guidance, Father in heaven.'_

Takuma glanced down at the girl, wondering why she had stopped and was going to question her about it. But the faraway look in her deep ocean blue eyes stopped him. She looked...sad. And he did not like it."Ne, Hime-sama, what would you like to be once you finish school?"

Kagome slid her eyes away from the sky and to the blond standing next to her, slowly taking in that he had just spoken to her. She turned her gaze back to the warm colored horizon and pointed skyward. "Nani ga mite imasu ka? (What do you see?)"

The blond blinked at the question and slowly answered. "Pink." he deadpanned then raised a brow in challenge as if daring her to laugh at his answer."What do you see?"

The girl giggled. "The clouds, silly." another small chuckle left her throat. "What do you see?"

The boy turned his head this way and that for a long moment before he replied. "Cotton candy desu."

Kagome tapped her chin with a slender finger, thinking of something to say. "Hm..." she pointed to one of the fluffy sunset-shaded clouds. "That one looks like a neko."

Takuma glanced at up at the sky, following her finger. "Really? It looks more like an inu to me."

The miko gave the blond a skeptical look, her lips set into a frown. "Neko."

"Inu."

"Neko."

The emerald eyed vampire smiled charmingly down at his girlfriend and leaned in close, acting as if he were whispering in her ear. "Inu!"

Kagome jumped at the sudden loudness of the boy's voice and glared at him. "Takuma-kun..." She huffed then an idea struck her. She took out her cell phone and took a quick picture of the cloud and saved the image. She looked around for a short moment until her eyes found a printing store and quickly dragged the protesting boy in her strides to the store. Upon entering the store she quickly found an available printer and proceeded to printing out the image. While the printer processes the picture she left the confused but curious boy standing and walked around the shop in search of clear laminated sheet. "Aha!"

Takuma could do nothing but watched in silence curiosity as the girl practically skipped back to him with a triumphant smirk. He kept silent as she retrieve the picture and placed it on the available work space and place the clear sheet of plastic paper over the image and began to draw out an outline, where she got the marker he has no idea. He watched as she carefully traced the outline of the cloud and then proceeded to fill in the details.

She grinned as her drawing was complete. "Told you it was a neko!" she waved the laminated sheet in Takuma's face in triumph, bouncing around on her feet giddily.

The blond took the sheet from her, using his finger to wipe away some of the black markings before taking the marker from her dainty fingers. He then laid the clear, thin paper over the image and began tracing as well. The marker glided smoothly as he worked placing the finishing touches. He stood up straight and handed the sheet back to his girl.  
>Kagome's eyes went wide. "That's not funny, Takuma-kun." The boy had erased the head of her neko drawing and replaced it with not an inu, but a kitsune. Kagome cheeks puffed in a pout and her eyes narrowed in a mock glare.<p>

The boy only chuckled a bit sheepishly and lean in to place a sweet kiss on her cheeks. "Gomen né."  
>The girl blushed and her eyes warmed as she gave into a bashful smile.<p>

The rosy color on her cheeks darken as another kiss touched her forehead as light as a velvet petal and as warm as the first ray of sunlight after a season of snowfall. She leaned in and rested her head against his chest, listening to the sounds of his heartbeat. All too soon the intercom of the store buzzed, signalling that the building was going to close soon. Kagome sighed.

"I should be getting home before Mama gets worried." She placed her hand in Takuma's and together they walked out of the store, after paying for the picture Kagome had printed.

The setting sun closed its act and the theater of reality opened its veil and welcomed twilight. The god tree of Higurashi shrine stood majestically on its high place in the hilltop was the sight that greeted the young couple as they entered holy ground. Once again Takuma felt the indescribable tingling as he entered the premise of the grand formidable white tree. He could not decide if it was a welcoming feeling or not.

_'The last time I was here...'_ Takuma could not help but remember his bloody state and secretly looked down at the small girl who was his benefactor... _'Savior.'_ A soft smile blinked on his lips for a short moment._ 'I'm glad...meeting you Kagome...was'_ He mentally shook his head at the small glimpse of contradiction that began to brew. _'I'm so glad to have met you.'_

The wind blew and as if magic the many paper lanterns scattered around the shrine lighted up casting a mystic atmosphere of olden Japan. Takuma caught the low gasp of the girl by his side and turned back in time to she her hand pressed over her heart. The glossy shine of her lips was beatifically highlighted by the warm lantern glow as she smile nostalgically. "It's like I'm back in time."

"Hn, a timeless beauty." Takuma whispered. '_Just like you, my dear.'_

Kagome shifted her blue eyes up to the boy who managed to capture her heart in such a short time. A warm smile spread over her lips as she gazed at his handsome face, appreciating on how the glow of the paper lanterns made his blond hair more golden and brought that adorable yellow sparkle to his deep emerald-green eyes. Oh how she loved his eyes. They were always so warm, so gentle when they were on her and his smile...Kami his smile was perfect. It made her happy to know that she could call this great young man hers.

"Takuma-kun..." she whispered his name into the twilight air.

The young vampire hummed his attention before casting his eyes down at her, a pleasant smile on his lips. "Yes, Kagome-hime?"

"I like you a lot. You've made me happy today." she said, never taking her eyes off of his face.

Takuma gave her a gentle smile. "It's my job as your boyfriend to make you happy, Hime-sama."

Kagome reached into her pocket and pulled out her old worn out grey cell phone, sighing. 'I need a new phone...' She looked up at her boyfriend with a hopeful gaze in her eyes. When he finally looked down at her, Kagome gave him a bright smile. "Trade numbers with me?"

_'Gosh! How can I say no to that? Seriously!'_ Takuma was only hopeful that his thought did not registered on his face and gave her a charming smile. "Of course, hime. With great pleasure I shall."

His words made Kagome giggle causing the male great confusion. Kagome noticed his cute clueless expression and suppressed her giggled enough to say, "Now all you need is an British accent and you can star in a Shakespear's play."

Takuma was not sure how to reply to that comment and was interrupted from his chaotic and somehow blank train of thought as she continued.

"Then again, I rather you not star in one of Shakespeare's plays as most of them end in tragedy. I rather have you as yourself any day, Takuma-kun." She smiled at him sweetly as she tipped toed to kiss his cheek.

The golden-haired vampire felt a strong and sudden urge to take Kagome in his arms and never let go. She saids the cutest things that make his inhuman heart pound away in his chest and the emotions she makes him feel. She treated him with such kindness and adoration and yet...he was keeping such a dark and bloody secret from her. Takuma actually did not want the dark-haired girl to attend Cross Academy, but he knew that her mind was set on going to the school. A wry smile nestled on his lips as he pulled out his own cell phone and handed it to her. Once they exchanged numbers, Takuma immediate drew the girl in a tight embrace.

"Takuma-kun?"

His right hand traveled slowly down her spine sending electric shivers and vibrated her body that only intensified as he kissed the junction of her neck and jawline softly at an almost torturous pace. His hot breath caused her to heat up as he spoke in a low velvety voice. "You make it so hard to leave you, Hime." He paused again to kiss her and she absent mindedly registered in the back of her mind that her back as now rested on the grand body of the Sacred Tree. "Should I steal you away?" he bestowed another kiss on the length of her neck. "How tempting..."

Kagome let out a breathless sigh as her boyfriend nipped lightly at the flesh of her throat and kissed away the small sting. She curled her fingers in his shirt, pulling him closer to her. "Takuma-kun..." she whispered. Once she gained the blond's attention, the miko continued, "It's said that if a couple were to share a kiss under the God Tree that their feelings become mutual."

"Is that so, ore no hime?" Takuma whispered low in her ear. He kissed her cheek slowly, lingering for just a moment. When she nodded, the blond vampire pulled away and smirked down at his girl. "Why are you telling me this, Kagome-hime?"

The miko averted her eyes briefly from his curious green gaze before nibbling on her bottom lip. "Because..." she trailed off.

Takuma lifted an elegantly arched golden brow as he tilted his head to the side and tighten his arms around the miko's lithe waist. "Because what, ore no hime-sama?"

"Because...I want your feeling to be mutual." she lifted her hand and pressed it against his cheek, smiling when he, almost naturally, leaned into her touch. "I like you a lot, Takuma-kun. Please be mine always?"

The blond-haired vampire returned the sweet smile his girl bestowed upon him with one of his own. He pulled her even closer to his body and nuzzled the crook of her neck, pressing a small kiss to the tender flesh there. "That should be my line, Hime." Takuma pulled back just enough for him to look into her seemingly bottomless dark ocean blue eyes. "I shall be yours for as long as you want."

Kagome beamed up at her boyfriend, throwing her arms around his neck and pulling his head down. Slowly, she pressed her lips against his. The miko felt his surprise at her boldness in initiating the kiss, but Takuma soon melted into her embrace and full-heartedly kissed her back, moving his mouth gently along hers. The couple stayed like that for a few minutes sharing sweet kisses, some short and some long, but each of them were filled to the brim with their feelings. Twilight soon began to darken and Night made its grand entrance, the large, white full moon and twinkling stars bathed the teens in their comforting glow.

Takuma, with great reluctance, pulled away from his girlfriend's petal soft lips. He looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. A low chuckle slipped passed his vocal cords and he moved her bangs out-of-the-way and pecked her forehead. "Our feelings are mutual now, Kagome-hime."

"I hope so, Takuma-kun." the miko pressed her cheek against his chest and listened for his heartbeat.

The golden haired vampire smiled down at Kagome and ran his fingers through her soft raven-colored hair. "Hime-sama, we need to get you inside the house before you catch a cold."

Kagome nodded and slipped through the crevices between Takuma and the God Tree with ease. She grasped his large warm hand with hers and began to tug him towards the door. The miko paused, hesitating slightly before opening the shoji door. "Tadaima!" she removed her shoes, sliding her feet into her slippers, and glanced at her boyfriend.

Takuma caught his girl's eyes and smiled before removing his own shoes, putting on the extra pair of light green slippers left out.

"Okaerinasai, Kagome-chan." Nodoka exited the door of the kitchen with a cup in her hands, which she was drying with a checkered towel. Her pale greyish blue eyes widened slightly when she spotted the young man holding hands with her daughter. A warm motherly smile spread over her lips as she greeted him, "Konbanwa, Takuma-kun."

Takuma bowed slightly. "Konbanwa, Higurashi-san."

The miko shuffled her feet before speaking timidly. "Konbanwa, Mama. I want to introduce you to Takuma-kun..." she flushed lightly and averted her eyes to the ground as she trailed off in her words. _'Kami-sama, why as I so embarrassed to tell my mother that I'm dating Takuma-kun!'_

Nodoka raised an eyebrow at her daughter. She looked at Takuma, noticing his wrinkled clothing, the happy smile on his face, the adoration in his emerald-colored eyes as he gazed down at her daughter, and the way his fingers were so intimately intertwined with Kagome's. The matriarch of the Higurashi household allowed an all-knowing smile to grace her face. "Kagome-chan are you trying to tell me..." she, too trailed off.

Kagome looked her mother in the eyes and nodded slowly. "Hai, Mama. Takuma-kun is my boyfriend."

* * *

><p>Well, did this chapter meet your expectations for waiting so long for it. Sorry if it's shorter than our last one, but we wanted to update for you guys, snce you're so awesome!<p>

~Kirei Ai Tenshi

~CrescentMelody


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